Diver attacked by shark in Torres Strait

[WetPup]

Emergency services say bad weather is preventing them from rescuing a man who was mauled by a shark while diving in the Torres Strait off far north Queensland.

The victim, aged 55, was diving several kilometres from Murray Island on the Great Barrier Reef when he was attacked.

Paramedic Kirk Binnington said the man sustained serious injuries to his upper body in the incident about 12:30pm today.

He is in a stable condition on a boat, however emergency services have not been able to airlift him back to Murray Island, due to bad weather in the area.

"The chopper can't fly there, we can't get to him, it's really bad weather and the helicopter had to turn around," Mr Binnington said.

"[The patient] has had significant blood loss but at the moment they have been able to treat him on the boat, but he will get further treatment at the island."

Ambulance said they were waiting for a break in the weather to send the rescue helicopter to Murray Island to collect the injured diver.

Source: ABC News

Hopefully all works out ok. Unusual given the location - mostly just reef sharks in those waters. Stray tiger maybe?

 

[chillyinCanada]

Wow. Waiting on more news about this. So rare for a scuba diver to be bit by any kind of shark.

 

[WetPup]

Very unusual. Reef sharks wouldn't go at someone without some pretty serious provocation. Which is why I am thinking maybe a tiger took a wrong turn somewhere - uncommon, but not unheard of.

While the article doesn't mention it, I would be unsurprised to discover the victim was spearfishing. Common practice in the area.

 

[clownfishsydney]

I have never heard of anyone scuba diving in that area, the closest dive operation would be in Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea. It is closer to Papua New Guinea than the Australian mainland and I would not really call that area part of the GBR. I would also suspect he was probably spearfishing.

 

[Dan]

I have never heard of anyone scuba diving in that area, the closest dive operation would be in Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea. It is closer to Papua New Guinea than the Australian mainland and I would not really call that area part of the GBR. I would also suspect he was probably spearfishing.

I hope he recovers well.

Recent examples of shark attack while spearfishing:
Spearfisher bit by Tiger shark - Hawaii
Bad Shark...

 

[Wingy]

Shark attack victim waits hours for rescue chopper

My first thought and perhaps possible - trawler skipper gone over to look at a fouled prop or something? Heaps of trawlers up there surprised to see a skipper knowing those waters to get in considering crocs and irikanjis etc etc.

 

[Dan]

Looking at the Google Earth, Murray Island is actually closer to Indonesian most eastern city of Merauke in West Papua, than Port Moresby.

 

[Wingy]

bit of info on the Torres Group Dan - Torres Strait Islands - Wikipedia

Interesting place but no place for diving -I've sailed through there, the waters beautiful and can look oh so tempting, but no..not a place for dive trips.

Kind of glad about that in a way.

 

[Dan]

bit of info on the Torres Group Dan - Torres Strait Islands - Wikipedia

Interesting place but no place for diving -I've sailed through there, the waters beautiful and can look oh so tempting, but no..not a place for dive trips.

Kind of glad about that in a way.

Thanks for the tips. Check it off my bucket list.

 

[Hank49]

bit of info on the Torres Group Dan - Torres Strait Islands - Wikipedia

Interesting place but no place for diving -I've sailed through there, the waters beautiful and can look oh so tempting, but no..not a place for dive trips.

Kind of glad about that in a way.

SW crocs don't sound good. Just curious, why do you say it's no place for dive trips?