Death in Cocos from shark attack

[Kay Dee]

Recall that the observer in question (the DM) reportedly saw the shark going for the victim, made an attempt to drive it off, was wounded himself, and was then in the middle of a medical emergency with a fatal outcome. In those situations whether the shark had claspers or not tends to be an overlooked detail - kind of like how eyewitnesses to a crime can ID the wrong suspect in a lineup. Additionally, in an immature male (which can be as big as 8-9 ft) the claspers can be relatively small and hard to distinguish from a distance.

Fair enough point, but was it 'only' 8/9ft? (which is certainly big enough to do what it did!), but I somehow thought it was bigger than that, but can't now recall why I thought that or where I may have read that.

And does anyone know if the DM was the only one to see the shark in question, besides the deceased, who no longer can make any input sadly enough.

 

[Dan]

Another lesson learnt from this tragic accident for me is that I may want to skip night diving in Manuelita Island dive site or any night diving in Cocos dive sites since tiger shark is known for ambush predator.

 

[scubadada]

Another lesson learnt from this tragic accident for me is that I may want to skip night diving in Manuelita Island dive site or any night diving in Cocos dive sites since tiger shark is known for ambush predator.

It would be a shame to miss the night dives, we did three. Whitetips feeding in the lights is pretty dazzling, we had a few Galapagos on one of the dives.

 

[Pebbles Photo]

Not sure why people were discussing the use of bangsticks, when it is common knowledge that if a shark is too curious, all you need to do is keep your camera in between the shark and you...this also suggests the Dive guide or the late victim "could" have been better off with a large camera in their hands, that could be used for self protection, or interceding on someone else's behalf....And....then there is the practice of some dive operators, to give non-photographers a 4 foot length of PVC pipe, that can be held out so that the shark runs into it, and then will turn off....I think it is highly likely this would have made all the difference..... You could also say, that a non-photographer that shows up on a shark heavy dive, knowing this, should be thinking about how they would deal with a shark that comes in too close for a test bite.....If they have no plan, whatsoever, other than hoping it won't happen, this is an invitation for an accident.

 

[scuba mike1]

.....If they have no plan, whatsoever, other than hoping it won't happen, this is an invitation for an accident.[/QUOTE]

Agreed

 

[drrich2]

If they have no plan, whatsoever, other than hoping it won't happen, this is an invitation for an accident.

The term ‘invitation’ sounds over the top to me.

So how many plans for how many low risk potential scenarios are enough? Sometimes divers drown, so make everybody sling a pony tank? Jellyfish happen; everybody got to wear a full wetsuit and hood plus gloves? Heart attacks kill divers - so no customer over 45 without a cardiac stress test report? Are there big barracuda? What’s the plan?

How many of their customers are interested in taking a 4 foot pvc pipe on every dive in the region?

My point is, while risk management is important to a point, there is a limit.

Richard.

 

[BDSC]

Exactly Richard.

And if a tiger or great white shark decides they want to see what you taste like, no camera or pvc pipe is going to stop that.

 

[Scott from LongIsland]

Not sure why people were discussing the use of bangsticks, when it is common knowledge that if a shark is too curious, all you need to do is keep your camera in between the shark and you...

fake news

 

[Steve_C]

There is a difference between a curious shark and a for whatever reason shark in full out attack mode. Note that it hit the woman AFTER a DM had already tried to deter it. A PVC pipe or whatever can be a deterent sometimes. But if for whatever reason it really wants you, maybe it thinks you are the last sea turtle left in the ocean, it is going to be hard to deter it.

Also the 2012 attack was on somebody with a camera.

 

[Pebbles Photo]

Just saying that if you are diving in an area that will customarily have large sharks swimming nearby to you, it is stupid to ignore the potential for curiosity testing type bites....My friend Jim Abernethy says that in places like Tiger Beach, ANYTHING on the surface gets "test bitten" by tiger sharks....he has had many kayaks pretty much ruined from this, and all manner of floating objects are at risk...so divers near the surface need very specific protocols for remaining safe, they can never be alone, and they do not remain on the surface more than a very short while....That being said, this kind of curiosity bite is all I am referring to - but I think this is 95% of the shark biting....the sharks that are in serious attack mode to divers, are a serious rarity that normally only spearfisherman get exposed to--or others around struggling injured fish. I am not going to expect a shark to full out attack me, but I will always be watching any shark around me, and I will always have a camera in my hands, so I will always have a defensive plan for curious sharks.