Posted on 03/20/2005 3:08:28 AM PST by nickcarraway
CANBERRA, Australia (AP) - A 20-foot shark tore a man in half as he was snorkeling off Australia's west coast, police said Sunday.
The man, a pleasure boat deck hand who was snorkeling with tourists, died instantly in the attack Saturday afternoon off the Abrolhos Islands about 250 miles north of the Western Australia state capital, Perth, said Police Inspector George Putland.
"The 26-year-old man was bitten in half by the six-meter (20-foot) animal and death seemed to be instantaneous," said Putland, adding that the man's body was not recovered. The search for the remains resumed Sunday.
The species of shark was not yet known and it was not clear how many people were in the water with the victim at the time of the attack. No one else was injured.
Area residents have speculated that a great white shark or tiger shark was responsible. There were no immediate plans to hunt the shark.
The fatality is the first in Australian waters since December, when an 18-year-old surfer was bitten in half by a 16-foot great white shark off a beach in the southern city of Adelaide. A week earlier, a shark killed a 38-year-old diver spear fishing on the Great Barrier Reef off northeast Australia.
The latest attack was the first to occur off the west coast since two sharks killed a 29-year-old surfer south of Perth in July. Experts said then that sharks were not previously known to hunt in pairs.
What? No Pictures? Yuk! Yuk!
Can one say Jaws.
I have personally seen a twenty foot Tiger feeding on anchovies and I just about quit going into the water. I have no doubt this story is absolutely true. You could have put a 55 gallon drum in the mouth of the one we saw and he was bursting straight up out of the water through the balls of bait, mouth first. Awesome.
A SHARK that killed a charter boat skipper was being hunted off the West Australian coast today while his traumatised crew and passengers returned to Geraldton.Geoffrey Brazier, 26, of Perth, was bitten in half when attacked yesterday by a six-metre shark off the Abrolhos Islands group, 60km west of Geraldton, 500km north of Perth.
He had been snorkelling with others from the luxury vessel, the Matrix, when the shark took him, witnesses said.
Today WA Fisheries began an extensive search for the shark, either a Great White or a Tiger shark, which they said would be killed and used for forensic purposes.
Fisheries officer Rory McAuley said they were looking for the remains of the victim, but also to ensure there was no ongoing risk to the public.
Police have warned local fishermen not to enter the water in the area while the search continued for the shark with the help of a department shark expert.
Late this afternoon the crew and passengers aboard the Matrix arrived in Geraldton.
Department of Fisheries regional manager Russell Dyson said those on board the Matrix who had witnessed the attack were in shock.
"As you would naturally expect, they are shocked and traumatised," he said.
Counselling was being organised for them, Mr Dyson said.
The charter vessel, which was on its maiden voyage from Perth to the Kimberley, had been moored at Wreck Point in the south-east corner of Pelseart Island, part of the Abrolhos Islands group, when the attack happened.
Today's search involving two patrol boats and police failed to turn up traces of either Mr Brazier or the shark.
Mr Dyson said it was not surprising nothing had been found.
"It is open waters out there, we are on the edge of the continental shelf," he said.
Although some small tiger sharks had been seen, there was no sighting of a shark resembling the one that mauled Mr Brazier.
"Sharks are quite common in the Abrolhos Islands but there was nothing that even suggested itself to be like the shark involved in this incident," Mr Dyson said.
The boat's owners, Matrix Ocean Adventures, declined to comment today.
A spokesman said the company would rather "let the facts come out" from authorities.
The company would be extending sympathy to the man's family and friends "but I think we'll do that in private".
The company's website says the 24m Matrix, with six cabins and private ensuite facilities, is the largest and most luxurious catamaran cruising the Kimberley coast.
Launched in September last year, it cruises for up to 13 nights at a time, departing from Broome or Wyndham with a maximum of 12 passengers.
Trevor Beaver, owner of Geraldton's Batavia Coast Dive Academy, said today he was not surprised to hear of the shark attack.
"I believe sharks follow the whale migration patterns along the coast although it is probably a little bit early for that," he said.
The fatal shark attack is the third in WA in less than five years.
Last July, 29-year-old surfer Brad Smith died when he was attacked while surfing off Gracetown, about 270km south-west of Perth.
And in November 2000, 49-year-old Ken Crew died in an attack at North Cottesloe beach in Perth during an early morning swim.
I agree.
"A 20-foot shark tore a man in half...."
Great Wite's will do that.
Don't seem to recall, however, a Tiger getting that big.
A 20 fot Tiger would likely be a record.
tet68 wrote:
Sorry, being bitten in half by a 20 foot shark is
not "instantaneous".
--> Why do you say that? are you holding out on us? You must have the underwater TIVO and your not sharing ;)
Just teasing :)
The IGFA record for a tiger is 1,780 lbs taken off South Carolina. I am sure bigger tigers have been caught but not in accordance with the strict IGFA rules,so they are around.
Department of Fisheries regional manager Russell Dyson said those on board the Matrix who had witnessed the attack were in shock.
The people who saw the attack were obviously not familiar with sharks. The white and tiger are not alike at all in appearance, and are easily separated if you know something about the two species. Both species have in the past bitten people in half as both species attain great size (18-20 feet) and weigh thousands of pounds. - tom
Boy, and I was just snorkeling yesterday...
Species adapt!....The great sharks are learning where the meat snacks are located...
I'll bet they're learning to key in on boat sounds, sweat and urine, and .....suntan lotion!
I saw video pictures of the big shark swarms off Delray beach....doubtless feeding on the fish that come up the coast that time of year...but eerily coincidental with the Spring Break crowds this time of year!
I'm sure there are better snacks available than bony spring breakers...
I agree.
uhhhh..... the shark isn't "afraid" of humans. It will see humans as "food".... or the human appeared to be it's native food. Killing the shark will make them "feel" better and maybe prevent another shark attack.
It might also taste good... "shark steaks".
Uhhh...kill that one, and more sharks will fill the hunting ground once occupied by this one. The ocean is full of sharks, and unless you want to wipe them all out, there's always gonna be a risk of being eaten whilst in the ocean. Especially if you're wearing flippers swimming on top of the water looking like Australian sharks favorite food...seals.
It might also taste good... "shark steaks".
Younger, smaller sharks are much tastier than older sharks.
Silly...there ain't no sharks in the 'hooch. ;)
I left the 'hootch...
I think taking this particular shark out of circulation is an OK idea. Yes, sharks are always a danger in the ocean, but this one has a proven behavior pattern, now. Who knows if it will repeat it, but I'm just fine with getting rid of the thing.
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