Update on diving at Cocos Island post-accident

[LiveaboardCom]

Hi all,

I'm just updating you on the situation at Cocos after the recent accident:

Scuba diving trips to Cocos Island are currently continuing as normal and the Aggressor fleet have not changed their liveaboard itineraries in the area. At present, only the Manuelita dive site is closed until further notice.

Thanks.

 

[scubadada]

Wow! Perhaps the single best site on my visit

 

[SoFlaDiver954]

This might be better in a different forum.

Good to hear, but more suitable in the Central America forum.

 

[Centrals]

Why closing one dive site would prevent any potential attack by tiger shark or other predatory sharks in the future?
Any cancellation of the trip would have detrimental affect on the operators. The show must go on!

 

[OceanEyes]

Hi all,

I'm just updating you on the situation at Cocos after the recent accident:

Scuba diving trips to Cocos Island are currently continuing as normal and the Aggressor fleet have not changed their liveaboard itineraries in the area. At present, only the Manuelita dive site is closed until further notice.

Thanks.

I’m not certain that closing a particular site will have a real effect on providing substantial or even moderate protection from a single specific shark, especially in a location that is relatively compact as is Cocos. Here’s the thing about Tiger Sharks, Galeocerdo cuvier: they swim around.

Unless there is a specific reason for a shark or sharks to dwell in a specific location, (for example, near a sea lion rookery where large sharks come to prey on the pinnipeds, or as in St. Lucia where there is a small bay adjacent to a poultry processing plant where blood is consistently being dumped into the sea along with the rest of the industrial waste), then it may be a bit optimistic to presume that by avoiding that single site you will be able to prevent divers from encountering one particular animal.

Conversely, there was one particular cove very close to shore at Cocos that bore the monicker “Silverado”, where you could reasonably expect to see Silvertip Sharks, Carcharhinus albimarginatus, on any given day.

 

[OceanEyes]

Wow! Perhaps the single best site on my visit

It’s hard for me to call any one particular site at Cocos the “best”. However, if I had to choose a site to dive on any given day, I’d have a tough time choosing between Dirty Rock and Alcyone.

 

[Dan]

Hopefully the Manuelita dive site closure will be lifted by September.

 

[BDSC]

I’m not certain that closing a particular site will have a real effect on providing substantial or even moderate protection from a single specific shark, especially in a location that is relatively compact as is Cocos.

My take on it is a lot of folks were saying, "Someone died from a shark attack so what are you going to do about it?" Most folks realize that closing that site will do little if anything in preventing it from happening again. But at least it gives the appearance someone is doing something.

 

[LiveaboardCom]

This might be better in a different forum.

Good to hear, but more suitable in the Central America forum.

Thank you. I see it's been moved - great.

 

[LiveaboardCom]

The dive site has been closed for now whilst they investigate the site further to see if there were any contributing factors to the incident that they are not yet aware of. I will keep you updated as and when there is more news.

Thanks,