Death in Cocos from shark attack

[DanBMW]

I was arguing with somebody on this site about unprovoked shark attacks on divers. This is the first fatality I can recall ever that was an unprovoked attack on a scuba diver and not someone who was spearfishing or at the surface bobbing around.

Without more details, how do you know that? Nothing yet about the experience level of the diver or her comfort level in the water, or where exactly the attacks occurred. We might not get this information.

 

[2airishuman]

Rohina Bhandari, 49, was bitten in the legs by a female tiger shark. She was ascending at the conclusion of a dive.

New York equity executive killed by tiger shark while scuba diving off Costa Rica

The dive was organized by "Undersea Hunter Group," which despite the name, is not a spearfishing operation.

Welcome to the Undersea Hunter Group, Cocos Island

Her dive guide was also attacked, but survived his injuries.

 

[Steve_C]

Have had both a reef shark and a sand bar shoot up to me. Reef passed by between me and my buddy 6 ft away (who was looking through his gopro elsewhere and never saw it), sand bar stopped a couple feet away, did his nervous twitch, and took off. Assume both were checking us out to see if we had any food. Spear fishing was done in those general areas. Point is if you are in an area where spear fishing is ever done thrn sharks learn that divers are a potential food source even if no one is spear fishing that particular day. Not anti spearing. Just pointing out.

 

[hammet]

we know
Death in Cocos.

 

[The Chairman]

Wow. We are not the apex predator in the ocean.

 

[scubadada]

I'm in Bonaire with my wife, a good place to come if you happen to be leary of sharks, have never seen one here. My trips to the Red Sea and to Cocos were at the opposite end of the spectrum

 

[Diver0001]

Pete has a point, albeit perhaps clumsily made given that someone died here....

I've been waiting to hear any kind of details about what could have caused the shark to attack. The only information I have been able to glean from the internet is

1) the group surfaced
and
2) the shark swam up and bit the diver's legs
and
3) the DM tried to intervene and was bitten as well

This just seems like an unfortunate freak accident to me at this point. I haven't read anything yet that lead me to believe that there was any provocation of the shark like feeding, spear fishing or whatever. It really seems to be a case of being in the wrong place at the wrong time.

... so I'm going to say that Pete is right even if the way he said it was insensitive to the victim and their family. We're in the ocean when we dive and the fish make the rules. That's what this looks like.

R..

 

[mcohen1021]

DM on my Belize BA-IV trip was bit by Rambo the Nurse Shark on the Dos Chicas dusk dive. The shark was a royal pain in the ass to all the divers during that dive. At least half of us had to prod/kick him away at some point during the dive.

I believe it. I can't say for sure, but a good friend of mine sent me a pic of his sis in law about 2 weeks ago - she was bit by a nurse in Ambergris... And it did some serious damage... I could ask him to resend the pics. Its crazy

 

[Saniflush]

If you go on safari in lion territory, you may be eaten by a bear.

If this happens I am gonna say the bears have pretty well taken over.

 

[outofofficebrb]

Pete has a point, albeit perhaps clumsily made given that someone died here....

I've been waiting to hear any kind of details about what could have caused the shark to attack. The only information I have been able to glean from the internet is

1) the group surfaced
and
2) the shark swam up and bit the diver's legs
and
3) the DM tried to intervene and was bitten as well

This just seems like an unfortunate freak accident to me at this point. I haven't read anything yet that lead me to believe that there was any provocation of the shark like feeding, spear fishing or whatever. It really seems to be a case of being in the wrong place at the wrong time.

... so I'm going to say that Pete is right even if the way he said it was insensitive to the victim and their family. We're in the ocean when we dive and the fish make the rules. That's what this looks like.

R..

It’s unfortunate and so sad. It’s a long ride back to Puntarenas and therefore is a mentally draining trip back to the pacific coast given what happened. I’m sure everyone had heavy hearts. Perhaps a friend or family member of hers was on board. No doubt her fellow divers have gotten to know her the few days they have spent together.

I’m also interested in knowing a few more things like how long had they been at or on surface for, what were their actions like (were there quick movements? A lot of people instinctively tread at the surface despite having a BC), high contrast colors in fins, shiny objects like jewelry or camera lenses especially with dome ports that may have led the shark to believe it was its normal prey, etc. These things supposedly have an effect.