Posted on 04/22/2002 7:10:17 AM PDT by Pokey78
A human skull has been found inside a tiger shark caught off New South Wales, Australia.
Fisherman Bob Van Leuwick looks into the mouth of the tiger shark he caught |
"The first thing we found was a whale bone and we were interested to see what else the shark had eaten," said skipper Bob van Leuwick. "Then, all of a sudden, a human head rolled out. It was quite a shock."
Police are checking missing person files and trying to identify the remains. A post-mortem examination will be held tomorrow but it is not yet known whether the remains are those of a male or female.
Mr Van Leuwick said: "We slit the gut open to see what was inside it. Some bits and pieces came out that we didn't realise were part of a human. But then the skull rolled out and we realised we'd caught a man-eater."
Crime scene officers and a forensic pathologist were called and the remains were taken to a morgue in nearby Newcastle.
"The skull was pretty well preserved. It has all its teeth, so the police said they were pretty confident they could find out who the person was. I reckon the remains were no more than a week or two old," said Mr Van Leuwick.
The discovery recalled memories of Sydney's "shark arm case" of 1935 in which a tiger shark which had been put in an aquarium regurgitated a human arm with a rope tied to the wrist. The victim was identified but no one was ever convicted of murder.
Oops. Guess not.
When I was younger my family would do the family vacation thing every year. We always went to the beach and one day every year my father and I would go deep sea fishing. This story happened when I was 12 or 13. Anyone who goes deep sea fishing knows that the poles used are very stiff and do not bend a great deal unless you have a very large and/or powerful fish on. Well, its the end of the outing and the boat captain announces "all lines up." We are about 15 miles out and can see no land. I start to bring up my line and the poll starts bending like an ultralight. The Captain and a couple of mates come over and stand ready gaff hooks and other equipment for what we are assuming is going to be one hell of a catch.
Well, a few minutes into it the Captain and mates are trying to figure out what I have on. A shark? Skate? Ray? They are leaning toward shark. I am hoping it is. Still reeling and trying to land the thing. All the other 'fishers' have gathered around to see what this young kid is bringing in. Poll still bending like crazy, gaff hooks at the ready, I am about to bring my catch to the surface...
Guess what I caught. You ready...
A pair of jeans with cinderblocks tied to it!
I am not making this up. The captain cut my line and dropped em back into the ocean.
We were staying in Bethany Beach Delaware. Were either off Delawares or Marylands coast.
Mark W.
(Yes, I know this is a doomed joke -- 50% of the people won't know what the heck I'm saying, and the other 50% won't want to admit that they know what I'm saying...)
"Alas, poor Yorick; I knew him, Horatio, a fellow of infinite jest..."
--Boris
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