Guardian UK: Australian snorkeller snatched by shark

[marmar]

Australian snorkeller snatched by shark
• Shredded westuit found off Perth coast
• Son hears father's screams

Ellen Connolly in Sydney
guardian.co.uk, Sunday 28 December 2008 15.22 GMT


A snorkeller is believed to have been snatched by a shark as he swam last weekend with his son at a beach south of Perth. Witnesses reported seeing a dorsal fin and thrashing in the water before the sea turned red and the man vanished at the scene on Australia's west coast.

Father-of three Brian Guest, 51, who had campaigned for many years for the protection of sharks, had been looking for crabs on yesterday morning with his 24-year-old son when he was attacked about 30 metres from the shore.

Luke Tubbs told how a witness ran to his house in shock and screaming for help: "He just saw a big splash and then the shark roll over in the water with the guy and then no body or anything."

Daniel Guest, who was swimming six metres away at the Port Kennedy beach, heard his father's screams but did not see the attack. He raced to shore when he saw blood in the water. His father's shredded wetsuit was found later, and aerial searches spotted a five-metre great white shark swimming in the area.

In Sydney, some hours later, a kayaker survived a terrifying ordeal after being knocked from his craft by a great white shark. That encounter, endured by 29-year-old Steve Kulcsar, occurred less than a mile off Australia's east coast, at Long Reef, and was filmed by a fisherman in a small boat nearby. The video footage apparently showed the shark circling Kulcsar after bumping him off his kayak. ........(more)

The complete piece is at: http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2008/dec/28/australia-sharks-attacks

[MrSlayer]

1. Well, if you go where the shark lives you might get eaten.

This is a shame for the guy and all but if you go into the shark's house he's going to treat you the way sharks treat things. I hope they don't kill the shark out of some ridiculous need for revenge as people often do. It isn't the shark's fault.

[book_worm]

3. You mean the beach?

Most sharks actually don't attack people.

[MrSlayer]

4. No, obviously sharks do not live on the beach.

But they do live in the ocean and if you go in the ocean you're risking being eaten by a shark. I realize that most sharks do not attack people but some do, particularly Great Whites and Bulls. My point is that if you swim with sharks, the chance of you being killed by one are greatly increased. You are fair game and are at your own risk. It's never the shark's fault.

[book_worm]

2. Gruesome and ironic, since the victim campaigned for years to protect the shark