Fatal Shark Attack
in South Africa
A great white shark, which killed a swimmer off the coast of South Africa on Tuesday, was apparently filmed swimming close to shore just minutes after the attack.
The National Sea Rescue Institute (NSRI) reported that the duty crew of SRI Plettenberg Bay was activated after eyewitnesses reported a shark incident at Sanctuary Beach on the Robberg side of Robberg 5 in Plettenberg Bay.
NSRI lifeguards were immediately on scene, and 2 NSRI rescue craft were launched. Sadly, the body of an adult male, believed to be a local resident, was found upon arrival at the scene and recovered from the water at the back surf line onto an NSRI rescue craft. The body was brought to the NSRI Plettenberg Bay rescue station. Tragically, the injuries sustained were fatal, and the man was declared deceased by the doctor.
The NSRI and Bitou Municipality appealed to ocean users – bathers, paddlers, sailors, and boaters – in Plettenberg Bay and along the Southern Cape coastline to exercise caution after this fatal incident.
According to NEWSWEEK.COM, great white sharks are frequently sighted off the waters of South Africa, although their numbers have declined in recent years.
MORE ABOUT GREAT WHITE SHARKS
They can grow up to 20 feet long, and the largest ever caught weighed 5,000 pounds (approx. 2,268 kilograms). Great white sharks frequent areas with large prey populations, especially the Cape fur seals off the South African coast. They stalk young seals from deeper waters and prefer individual or smaller groups of these mammals.
Attacks on humans are rare, and fatal attacks are even rarer.
Last year, 73 people were unprovokedly attacked worldwide, only nine of whom were killed. Three attacks and one fatality occurred in South Africa. The last fatality off the coast of South Africa occurred earlier this year.
GREAT WHITE SHARKS IN SOUTH AFRICA: WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW
When are shark spotters busiest?
Shark spotters are deployed all year round, although the summer months are busier as more people are in the water then. The «Shark Spotters program» operates year-round at four beaches in the Western Cape (Fishhoek, Muizenberg Kalk Bay, Kogel Bay) and sometimes at six beaches (Monwabisi, Clovelly).
It depends on the region, but we typically see sharks closer to shore in spring and summer. In winter, they feed on seal pups, as seal pups are.
What should you do if you see a shark?
Stay calm, exit the water as quickly as possible, and notify local lifeguards or shark spotters. If there are no lifeguards or shark spotters on duty.
What is the most important beach flag to know for shark sightings?
A white flag with a black shark on it – this flag is used at all South African beaches to indicate that a shark is in the water. However, you will usually hear a siren that tells you to get out of the water.
Are there other beach flags to be aware of?
Yes, the other flags to look out for if you live in the Western Cape are the red, green, and black flags. Here is the protocol.
White flag (with a solid black shark): Shark near water users (siren sounds) or after a serious incident when the beach is closed.
Red flag (with solid white shark): 1 hour after a sighting or if a shark is sighted but not near water users, or if there is an increased risk of shark activity.
Black flag (with shark outline): Poor sighting conditions in an area where most water users are present. No shark seen.
Green flag (with shark outline): Good sighting conditions in the area where most water users are present. No shark seen.
Is it true that sharks eat people?
According to Sarah Waries from the renowned Shark Spotters program in Cape Town: «Humans are not part of their diet or normal prey. Shark bites that occur are very rare predatory bites. If sharks were truly out to eat people, there would be many more incidents! While the number of shark bites is increasing worldwide, the number of fatalities from shark bites has decreased thanks to the use of shark bite kits and better medical care.»
Where are NSRI shark bite kits stored?
Shark bite kits are kept in strategic locations in or near Table Bay, Strandfontein, Wilderness, Jeffreys Bay, and Kei Mouth. In the Plettenberg Bay area, kits are deployed at Robberg Beach, Central Beach, Keurbooms, Lookout Beach, and Nature's Valley.
Report on NEWSWEEK.com, June 29, 2022 / More Info: www.nsri.org.za / www.sharkspotters.org.za
