RFI: Shark attacks on SCUBA

[Deefstes]

I know, I know, this topic gets rehashed so often that many will probably not even open this message. Seeing as you have though, I'm hoping you can offer information on the following question.

I am getting sick and tired of people telling me that they won't try out SCUBA diving because they're afraid of sharks. Now I know that shark attacks on divers are rare and shark attacks on SCUBA divers specifically are even more rare but I'd love to have some hard facts that I can quote the next time I get that rubbish.

Does anybody know when the last reported fatality of a SCUBA diver from a shark attack was? These things are fairly well reported these days so I'm sure the information should be available.

I know that recently there was a shark attack on a diver in Australia. I don't have all the facts on that but if I'm not mistaken it was a free diver, not a SCUBA diver and I'm not even sure if the attack was fatal.

 

[Gary D.]

I think the last fatal attack was in Australia last year.

Tell them if sharks were truly man eaters there wouldn’t be any survivors or one bite incidents. A good start is to not look like a seal or a surfer. Your odds could be about the same as dying in a plane crash when you figure the total people in the water. Not really but a good argument for those who won’t try scuba.

 

[Deefstes]

I think the last fatal attack was in Australia last year.

Was that on a scuba diver?

 

[Doubler]

He was diving for Abalone, so that usually means free diver or hookah around rocks where seals live.
I get the same BS from people all the time, I tell them that people fear sharks because of movies and sensationalism. Blue Water/White Death and Jaws being the major offenders. It would be hard for Hollywood to make a movie about Box jellies, Fire Coral or Bristle worms just not the same pazaaz.

 

[Kilili]

Well, none reported this month.
In Feb, this report:
http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/ac...-fiji-diver-believed-shark-attack-victim.html

Global Shark Attack File:
http://www.sharkattackfile.net/incidentlog.htm
Nearly 5,000 reports here, including man killed whilst washing ambulance in ankle deep water. Spreadsheet is very informative.

Also, unprovoked attacks on divers:
White Shark Unprovoked Attack - Diver

In California, most attacks are on surfers, and they usually live:
http://www.sharkresearchcommittee.com/2000.htm

While such do happen, sharks are the least of my worries whilst diving. The shower rooms and bath tubs pose more danger.

Remember, the most dangerous thing in the water is your buddy.

 

[Deefstes]

Global Shark Attack File:
How to search GSAF data
Nearly 5,000 reports here, including man killed whilst washing ambulance in ankle deep water. Spreadsheet is very informative.

Thanks, that spreadsheet is fascinating. According to it, the most recent unprovoked fatal shark attack on a scuba diver was on 15 Feb 2010 in Fiji. Prior to that was on 24 Aug 2005 in South Australia.

Something else I find interesting is that, according to this document, there have been 23 unprovoked fatal shark attacks on scuba divers since 1959. That's 23 fatalities worldwide in 52 years. I can think of bigger risks.

 

[Sas]

Yea I never used to worry about sharks, now I do a little bit but not enough to modify my diving practices. I did some diving in a remote place near some seal and penguin populations and a 6' sevengill charged us when we were on the surface once in the middle of the dive after we ascended (my buddy kicked it in the face).

My sister was also there when a man was attacked by a bullshark and lost a leg and part of his arm. This happened in the early morning in murky water.

You can avoid problems like this by not diving at night or dawn around seal and penguin populations or in murky water I imagine though.

 

[JJEH]

GSAF is the only thing you can count on.

This file gets updated properly.

But consider, even if a shark is only touching a boat people report it to GSAF...

 

[Tortuga68]

Something else I find interesting is that, according to this document, there have been 23 unprovoked fatal shark attacks on scuba divers since 1959. That's 23 fatalities worldwide in 52 years. I can think of bigger risks.

You need some handy comparative risk data:

NB the shark attack risk is not diver-specific

 

[The Chairman]

One thing for sure though... you're more likely to get bit by a shark than die from a falling coconut: The Straight Dope: Are 150 people killed each year by falling coconuts?