2 women killed by sharks i Egypt

[BoltSnap]

What are they going to do?
Go hunting?

No, pending investigation trying to understand what/why/who kindah of a thing AFAIK.

 

[Christian]

Unusual but not unheard of. It has happened before and it is not an unlikely outcome if an oceanic whitetip shark gets near a normal tourist area where bathers and snorkelers swim. Unlike other shark spieces, their behaviour is to approach and examine everything and anything that's on the surface. They come very close. If you start a fight with the shark, the shark will win. Extremely sad event.

 

[Christian]

It has happened a few times and in the 2010 incidents, it was oceanic whitips, and I'll bet it was this time too. This spieces is a bit different in behaviour compared to other sharks. It is bold and it will approach anything and everything that is in the surface. It is unusual that they come close to tourist areas, but most of the Egyptian coastline has deep water (open ocean) very close to shore, so it happens. Fishing or some kind of chumming for small fish (bread etc.) that causes comotion can contribute to attracting a shark. And when you mix ordinary swimmers and snorkelers with Longimanus, accidents can easily happen due to these sharks natural behaviour. Fish scraps in the water turn them into hunting mood and a normally docile and 'energy saving' creature (but still bold) gets erratic and fast moving. Very sad event.

 

[Christian]

I'm due back there in October, and this does worry me.

It is a good thing to be respectful. But there are thousands of dive encounters with Oceanic Whitetip sharks every year in egypt that are exciting, but not dangerous. There are excellent local dive guides with lots of experience that will prepare divers and teach them the correct protocol. Basically: always face the shark, stay vertical, don't try to hit it if it comes close, don't swim away, finning like crazy, flap arms etc. Keep your gear tight. Do not hang out on the surface.

 

[scubaozy]

If I remember correctly some of the attacks were identified as Mako based on bite marks in the past, not only owt is suspect basically. I also concur that livestock transfer scenario is plausible, in 2010, Eid was in 16-20 November (attacks started 1st of Dec) and this year 9th of July.

 

[Christian]

Have not seen anything about ”matching bite marks” being established, the mako assumption afaik was made based on an eye wittness. So, I am not 100% convinced about that. Longimanus seems more plausible to me based on how they normally behave.

 

[Parlem]

The idea that some particular individual sharks can associate dead lambs floating in the sea with swimmers/snorkelers is not unreasonable, to be honest, particularly when one follows the other within a short timespan.

 

[scubaozy]

Have not seen anything about ”matching bite marks” being established, the mako assumption afaik was made based on an eye wittness. So, I am not 100% convinced about that. Longimanus seems more plausible to me based on how they normally behave.

I am referring to events of 2010, at least 1 case was positively identified as Mako. There is even a documentary about this.

 

[Searcaigh]

Eid Al Adha is this coming weekend, and the livestock shipment scenario could be a possible link.

Edited to correct the Eid holiday name.

 

[Christian]

I am referring to events of 2010, at least 1 case was positively identified as Mako. There is even a documentary about this.

Yes, I’m talking about 2010. The mako id was an eye wittness.