Penny Palfrey Cuba to Florida attempt

Masters Swimming SA

Published: Jul 3, 2012 10:34:38 AM Updated: Aug 23, 2012 12:49:12 PM

"Penny Palfrey had to be pulled out of the water, after swimming for more than 40 hours," the team said in a tweet.

It said Palfrey had to abort her bid to reach the Florida Keys at about midnight  due to a strong southeast current "that made it impossible for her to continue her swim."

"Penny is presently on her escort boat being taken care of by her crew," the team said.

The mother of three and grandmother of two had been seeking to become the first to complete the historic feat without a protective cage to ward off sharks.

The 49-year-old, who left the Cuban capital of Havana shortly after sunrise Friday, had already covered three quarters of her itinerary when she ran into trouble.