AfricanDiver.com

A surfer survived a shark attack in the sea off Port Alfred on Tuesday, police said.

Brendan Denton, 35 was surfing with a friend at East Beach at 10:30 when the shark attacked him about 100 metres from the shore, said Captain Mali Govender.

“He suddenly felt something pulling him underwater,” said Govender, who spoke to him in the Port Alfred Hospital afterwards.

“He thought it might be his friend playing the fool with him.”

The second time it happened, he turned around and saw his feet in the shark’s jaw.

Denton wrestled with the shark and it let go of his feet, but it grabbed hold of the leash attaching his ankle to the surfboard and started swimming out to sea with him in tow.

He released the leash and when the surfboard popped out of the sea three metres away a few moments later, he was able to get back on it and paddle to safety.

His friend and other surfers, who had heard his screams and splashing, helped him to a doctor.

Govender said Denton’s injuries looked serious.

When she asked him how he was doing, he told her he was “okay”.

As he was wheeled into theatre for surgery, she told him she could see his feet. He replied he could not feel them.

Govender described the water at East Beach as “very murky”.

“You normally get sharks in water like that,” she said, adding that the National Sea Rescue Institute had since closed the beach.

Click here for source

Tourist attacked in shallow water

A Zimbabwean tourist on a month-long holiday lost his life in a shark attack in Fish Hoek, Cape Town.

“Lifeguard Frederick Wagenvoorde was on his tower and saw lots of splashing and thrashing around in the water, and then a lot of blood,” said Colleen Saunders, regional co-ordinator for Life-saving, Western Province.

The attack happened at 3.15pm. Other bathers were unaware of the attack until lifeguards signalled to them to get out of the water.

The man’s partner was on the beach but, it is understood, did not see the attack.

Three craft from the National Sea Rescue Institute, a dinghy from Western Province Lifesaving, a helicopter and about 15 lifeguards combed sea, air and land yesterday in search of the victim.

His body had not been found by late last night.

“The man has been identified but [his] family has not yet been notified,” Saunders said.

The man, who lives in the Democratic Republic of Congo, was due to spend a month in South Africa with his partner before leaving for the UK.

One of his two daughters lives in Kenya and the other in the US.

They had not been told of their father’s death at the time of going to press last night.

The NSRI’s Ian Klopper said the man was standing chest-deep in the water adjusting his goggles when he was dragged below the surface.

“The man’s partner was here but we have sent her home. She is very shocked but is remaining hopeful, but the outlook does not look good,” Klopper said.

Eye witness, Sally Wentworth, who lives on the mountainside overlooking the beach, said she heard shouting, looked outside and saw “red in the sea”.

“At first it looked as if there were dolphins, a flurry in the water. Then I saw something floating in the water, obviously the body, and the shark’s fin coming up, well above the water. It was not a nice thing to have witnessed.”

Wentworth said the attack was over in about three minutes.

“We normally hear the siren [sounded by shark-spotters, warning swimmers to leave the water] but not this time. The black flag was out indicating conditions were too difficult for shark-spotters to see into the water,” she said.

Cheryl-Samantha Owen, of the Save Our Seas Foundation, said the attack was the first indication that sharks were in the area.

The NSRI put out an alert on Monday to warn surfers and swimmers about increased shark activity in False Bay.

In 2004, regular Fish Hoek beach swimmer Tyna Webb, 77, was attacked by what was believed to have been a Great White shark. Her body was not found.

Alison Kock, director of research for the shark-spotting programme, which records behaviour and movement of the sharks, said the previous attack on a swimmer was in 2007.

“We have daily sightings but attacks are pretty rare,” he said.

Click here for source

Once again with many thanks to Elaine in Ponta do Ouro, here’s a more detailed account of what happened:

On Tuesday 22 December 2009 at about 14h00 a juvenile Tiger Shark came swimming into the bay of Ponta do Ouro and attacked a young man on holiday here who was playing in the surf with some friends on an inflatable lilo about 2 meters off shore. The skipper from Simply Scuba, Wayne, and James a staff member from Scuba Adventures were busy working in the launch area when they saw this guy come stumbling out the water bleeding heavily. They immediately rushed to assist and phoned Sandy from Brittlestar Guesthouse for assistance. At that stage Sandy was in Manguzi but she referred them to Karl who immediately got hold of oxygen and rushed down to the beach where the guy had already collapsed because of shock and blood loss. He had been attacked by the shark and was bitten on the upper arm/shoulder area and on his hand. Fortunately the wounds were not severe, but the poor guy was in shock and had to be stabilized. Wayne and Petro from Simply Scuba stayed with the victim while he was taken to the local clinic for attendance. Daryl, a paramedic and skipper for Gozo Azul helped to get the patient stabilized but failed to get a drip inserted into the victim’s arm. He then decided to just stop the bleeding and bandaged up where needed. The local commandant of police, arrived at the scene and gave permission for the patient to be airlifted by helicopter and taken to hospital in Manguzi. Colin, a resident of Maputo who owns a holiday home in Ponta fortunately had his helicopter in Ponta and could assist immediately. The man was flown to Manguzi Hospital and transferred to Empangeni Hospital from there. He is fine.

After the incident holiday makers were furious with the shark and tried to catch it with their fishing rods from the beach right in front the Beach Bar. The Tiger launched out the water twice and the spectators enjoyed the view although with aggression. The shark remained in the shore breaks for the rest of the day where it was visible to all, while fishermen tried to catch it. They had it on their hooks twice but both times the shark escaped.

This incident was discussed in all earnest with the head of marines (MPA), Miguel and Antonio the Port Captain for Ponta do Ouro. This incident was due to happen some or other time, due to the negligence of fishermen throwing fish remains over the sides of their boats after cleaning their catch in the Bay of Ponta do Ouro. Of course this will attract sharks, and if this is not going to stop immediately more unfortunate incidences like this might happen in future.

Ponta do Ouro is a very safe and tranquil village with no shark attacks for the past 15 years since 1994 when a guy lost a foot. This is because we are naturally protected by the school of dolphins permanently staying in Ponta area. They will drive away all sharks from their territory. People must not get upset about this unfortunate incident, but fishermen have to be informed of the dangers when they throw the remains of their catch out into the water in the bay.

Many thanks to all locals in Ponta involved in the very quick and rapid assistance to this poor guy. We all appreciate the wonderful way in which this was done.

Yesterday, local South African radio stations and news sites carried an article about an attack by a shark on a swimmer at Ponta do Ouro in Mozambique. It was reported that the swimmer lost an arm and a leg in the attack.

So, for example here’s one of the reports:

Article By: Matshidiso Madia
Wed, 23 Dec 2009 08:19
A South African teenager has survived a shark attack at a popular Mozambican diving spot.
The teen was swimming in the Ponte de Ora Bay on Tuesday afternoon when the shark attacked him.
The boy was airlifted to a hospital in KwaZulu-Natal.
e-block watch’s André Snyman, who is on holiday close to where the attack happened, said: “The teenager has lost and arm and a leg.”

However, it’s not quite that sensationalist. Courtesy of Debbie Mather-Pike and Elaine Botha, (from Ponta do Oura) here’s the true story:

THE TRUE STORY
The truth is that a 27 year old male was swimming in the bay yesterday and was attacked by a +/- 2.5 m shark (tiger or zambie but unknown).
He was stabilised on the scene, and taken to Manguzi Hospital. He was conscious and responsive to all questions and even jokes.
Last night he was taken to Empangeni Hospital and admitted.
Spoke to the attending doctor this morning. He said that the victim was fine, going into surgery to be cleaned up and stitched and was expected to make a full recovery. He did go into shock from fluid loss, but this has since been administered and he is stable.
He will be fine but will have big scars on his right back & shoulder area.

I understand that Radio 702 was contacted and informed of the “true story”, however their reaction was very disappointing. Apparantly, the reporter contacted did not even write down the new facts and uninterestingly just said thanks and put the phone down. It seems they want to create sensationalism first and apologize later for their stupid error.

A helicopter has searched extensively for the shark but so far no further sightings. Interestingly fishermen spent ages fishing the bay in a attempt to catch the shark, post the attack.

Elaine had the following comments to make: “holiday makers were annoyed by this phenomenon which is not common to Ponta Bay as we are naturally protected by a school of dophin who live here. Very strange. The shark remained in the shallow breakwater all afternoon and jumped out the water a few times where it could be seen by all watching from the beach.