Woman Diver Dies After Shark Attack

[capybara]

very sad indeed, so young

this report says she was likely swimming with dolphins and names
a tiger shark (according to witnesses) and bull sharks (according to local fishermen)
as the likely culprit:

http://www.heraldsun.news.com.au/common/story_page/0,5478,17758658%5E661,00.html

From the above story: "They said she had been spearfishing about 15m offshore in Rainbow Channel, near Amity Point fishing village on North Stradbroke Island, off Brisbane, when the shark attacked."

That can't be true, if she was spearfishing where sharks are known to congregate that would be incredibly dumb. She was probably just an unlucky swimmer.

From the Yahoo news: "A camper on a nearby beach said the woman had been scuba diving in waist-deep water at the time of the attack."

Also unlikely. News sources never seem to get the facts straight about these sorts of accidents.

 

[H2Andy]

not many people spearfish with their dog

i think they just got the part about spearfishing wrong

 

[Haiko]

Maybe they use the dog for the same reason normal (bird-)hunters do. Shoot the animal and let the dog bring it out to them :05:

But why did the shark(s) not attack the dog? I mean, can sharks "see" how big things are underwater by just using their sensors (other than eyes) in murky waters? Don't know how big the shark was, but would a shark not prefer a smaller prey instead of one that could be even bigger then themselves?

As usual, just wondering...

 

[DandyDon]

Reports of a dog in the water have been declared false...

Shark Attack Leaves Australian Woman Dead
Police Say Up to Three Bull Sharks May Have Mauled Her

AP
Up to three sharks may have been involved in the fatal attack on the 21-year-old woman, seen above being rushed to the hospital.

SYDNEY, Australia (Jan. 8) - A woman called out "shark" as she was being mauled to death by as many as three of them off the coast of Australia, but her friends in the water didn't believe her, police said Sunday.

Sarah Whiley, 21, died late Saturday of severe injuries after being attacked near North Stradbroke Island, east of the Queensland state capital Brisbane.

Whiley was swimming with a group of friends from a church group when she was pulled underwater for about five seconds then emerged and called out "Shark!" said Queensland police inspector Peter Harding.

"Of course people at the time thought she was only joking - until they saw the blood," he told reporters on Sunday.

Harding said officers were searching for the predators and had closed several nearby beaches.

"If we found them (the sharks) I suppose we would try to retrieve them and see if they have any body parts," Harding said. "The idea is to retrieve what we can."

Whiley was airlifted to a Brisbane hospital where she had to have both arms amputated just below the elbow, according to Queensland Rescue Helicopter spokeswoman Helen Anderson. She also suffered deep wounds to her legs and torso, Anderson said.


"Of course people at the time thought she was only joking (about the sharks) - until they saw the blood."
-Police Inspector

Harding said the severity of Whiley's injuries indicated she may have been attacked by a group of bull sharks, a species known for aggressive behavior this time of year.

"She was bleeding quite heavily ... (from) what I've seen and what I've been told, there was more than one shark involved, there could have been up to three," Harding said.

Contrary to earlier reports, Harding said there was no dog with the woman at the time. Swimming with animals could bring on a shark attack, Australian shark expert Andrew Fox told Sky News earlier.

Harding added the woman was swimming in water "anything from chest-deep to 30 feet."

 

[Green Hand]

Totally correct Don.

All the beaches within 2 klms. of Amity Point have been closed because this is the first shark attack since the introduction of the Queensland Shark Safety Program.

The program includes netting beaches and running drum-lines [large baited hooks anchored to the sea bed] which are off 84 beaches in QLD.

The water was particularly murky and dirty following a storm.

Shark experts in Australia have reitertated the following precautions:

-avoid swimming at dawn or dusk, when sharks chase fish closer into shore.
-never swim with a dog, or other animal, as they are known to attract sharks.
-avoid murky or turbid waters, found where rivers and creeks meet sea, s sharks are less likely to be able to identify their prey.

A pretty sad story.

In our colder waters down south we don't have Bull sharks, only Tigers and Whites - and they have been scarce this season.

Safe diving all.

 

[DandyDon]

In our colder waters down south we don't have Bull sharks, only Tigers and Whites - and they have been scarce this season.

Uh, that would not comfort me a lot. I think for the shark attack history of your country, I woud want to follow ALL of the precautions, i.e. don't swim at dawn or dusk, don't swim in murky water, don't swim near packing plants, and any others that might be suggested.

A sad lose of such a young lass, too.

 

[jptrealty]

What kind of a *******ing jackass could mistake swimming for Diving??

 

[robbcayman]

Totally correct Don.

All the beaches within 2 klms. of Amity Point have been closed because this is the first shark attack since the introduction of the Queensland Shark Safety Program.

The program includes netting beaches and running drum-lines [large baited hooks anchored to the sea bed] which are off 84 beaches in QLD.

The water was particularly murky and dirty following a storm.

Shark experts in Australia have reitertated the following precautions:

-avoid swimming at dawn or dusk, when sharks chase fish closer into shore.
-never swim with a dog, or other animal, as they are known to attract sharks.
-avoid murky or turbid waters, found where rivers and creeks meet sea, s sharks are less likely to be able to identify their prey.

A pretty sad story.

In our colder waters down south we don't have Bull sharks, only Tigers and Whites - and they have been scarce this season.

Safe diving all.

I'll be honest any of those three (Great White, Tiger, Bull) scare me. All 3 have known to attack humans and consume them. Normally sharks will let humans go but not always whether it's out of hunger, aggression etc.... who knows?? Stay safe!!!

 

[Al Mialkovsky]

She said the victim was swimming with her border collie when the attack happened and the dog ran home to raise the alarm.

Probably not a diver.

 

[H2Andy]

well, apparently later reports say that the dog was not with her while she
was in the water

(btw, i had the same thought you did)