Death in Cocos from shark attack

[diverdoug1]

I have noticed that Cocos trip reports have noted an increasing presence of Tiger shark around Cocos, and that this year Tigers are more frequently getting close to divers. I wonder if this has anything to do with La Nina in Cocos. Anyway, certainly a very sad time. Does anyone know if most liveaboards abort the rest of the trip when a fatality occurs?

 

[outofofficebrb]

I have noticed that Cocos trip reports have noted an increasing presence of Tiger shark around Cocos, and that this year Tigers are more frequently getting close to divers. I wonder if this has anything to do with La Nina in Cocos. Anyway, certainly a very sad time. Does anyone know if most liveaboards abort the rest of the trip when a fatality occurs?

I can’t say statistically what that is but as for LOBs aborting the rest of the trip when a fatality occurs, this is a good reason to purchase a liveaboard rider on your trip insurance. It would cover this along with them having to abort or interrupt trip due to a diver getting DCS, for example.

 

[diverdoug1]

I was attacked by a 13' Tiger shark in 1997 in the Gulf of Mexico. I was lucky that I received no life altering physical injuries, but I think about it frequently when I am in the water. I always quote the statistics to myself, but it still is in my head. Truth be told, I feel a little sick to my stomach when I see a Tiger shark on television, and the few times I have seen them while diving since my accident have been very difficult for me. I avoid diving where Tigers shark are commonly seen, but I realize I might run into to one just about anywhere. Diving in the sea too much of a part of my life to stay out of saltwater.

 

[Carl_F]

Not "at the surface" from what I have seen in discussions but at/near the safety stop.

 

[Dave Kay]

I can’t say statistically what that is but as for LOBs aborting the rest of the trip when a fatality occurs, this is a good reason to purchase a liveaboard rider on your trip insurance. It would cover this along with them having to abort or interrupt trip due to a diver getting DCS, for example.

Hi, what out fit provides an option for a liveaboard ryder you mention. I've never seen it come up on any website insurance application, including DAN

 

[outofofficebrb]

Hi, what out fit provides an option for a liveaboard ryder you mention. I've never seen it come up on any website insurance application, including DAN

Dive Assure does. There are a few large threads talking about trip insurance and DAN/Dive Assure if you do a search. I have extensive posts in them that go into detail. I found Dive Assure to be more favorable and encompassing in its coverage and features so I always buy Dive Assure.

HTH!

 

[Ken Kurtis]

Not "at the surface" from what I have seen in discussions but at/near the safety stop.

What's the source of that info Carl? Everything I've seen/read (and granted, it might be people simply repeating incorrect info) has said "surfaced". And a shark strike at the surface certainly fits the general pattern of sharks striking seals and such whereas an underwater strike on still-living non-injured prey seems rather rare.

 

[JohnnyC]

If this happens I am gonna say the bears have pretty well taken over.

I'm glad someone caught the joke!

 

[mmmbelows]

That's right Richard. What we should all know and admit as divers is that if you have enough dives with sharks it's not a matter of if you will have a risky experience, it's just a matter of when. Sooner or later it's going to happen.

I guess I'm anti-chumming and anti-shark trips because of the reason you say. We don't want sharks associating food with humans. I mean look at human beings when you say free breakfast. It's a free for all.

I can't say for sure but it certainly seems there is a difference between chumming/feeding sharks in open water and feeding them at a set location on the bottom. All the places that have set shark feeds on the bottom, like Beqa, Bahamas, Roatan... just doesn't seem to be any issues being reported of sharks acting nasty, it seems that the sharks associate the feed location and how it runs... open for business then closed for business... and they don't bother divers. Many of my bad encounters have been in places without fixed shark feed locations, seem to be associated with spear fishing and chumming / feeding sharks in open waters, but I'm a small sample.

 

[mmmbelows]

I was attacked by a 13' Tiger shark in 1997 in the Gulf of Mexico. I was lucky that I received no life altering physical injuries, but I think about it frequently when I am in the water. I always quote the statistics to myself, but it still is in my head. Truth be told, I feel a little sick to my stomach when I see a Tiger shark on television, and the few times I have seen them while diving since my accident have been very difficult for me. I avoid diving where Tigers shark are commonly seen, but I realize I might run into to one just about anywhere. Diving in the sea too much of a part of my life to stay out of saltwater.

Glad you survived it, also shows great courage for you to continue diving.