Diver bit by known shark - South Africa

[DandyDon]

Protea Banks is a popular shark diving location with several ops leading such dives.

BREAKING NEWS: Diver bitten by shark off Protea Banks, Shelly Beach - South Coast Herald

A local diver (26) was bitten by a shark while diving off Protea Banks, near Shelly Beach earlier to

southcoastherald.co.za

A local diver (26) was bitten by a shark while diving off Protea Banks, near Shelly Beach earlier today.

Rudi Prinsloo of Mi7 Ambulance Service said they waited at the base for the dive charter to beach with the injured diver.

K9 Search and Rescue Port Shepstone together with NSRI Shelly Beach Station 20 were also in attendance at the Sonny Evans Small Craft Harbour in Shelly Beach.

Prinsloo said they immediately treated the man’s right hand.

“The tendons and nerves of the man’s hand were severely severed,” he added.

They then transported him to Hibiscus Hospital.

It is believed the shark was a black tip shark, which is known to the divers.

“Divers have been diving with this particular shark for the last two or so years,” said Prinsloo.

 

[chillyinCanada]

Geez, black tips aren't usually very aggressive that way. Was the diver feeding the sharks?

 

[shark_za]

I have dived there a lot and the latest bunch of operators are not my cup of tea.
Losing the boat out there would be high on my list of things to avoid.

But this sounds a little different. I would like to hear what he was doing at the time.
The "bottle" or feeding maybe?

 

[JMBL]

Curious to know more about it.

 

[shark_za]

I have asked a few friends and it looks like it was a staff member who was actively feeding and had some bait in his hand.
The Blacktips to get quite animated on feeding dives, darting in and out when you cant see them.

 

[DandyDon]

I have asked a few friends and it looks like it was a staff member who was actively feeding and had some bait in his hand.

Yes and no it seems...

Diver undergoes 5-hour surgery after a black tip shark bit his hand on the KZN South Coast

Diver Renier Kruger is on the road to recovery after he was bitten by a shark while diving off the KwaZulu-Natal South Coast in the Shelly Beach area last week.

www.iol.co.za

Durban - A 26-year-old diver who was bitten by an Oceanic black tip shark on Friday while diving off Shelly Beach is recovering at a KwaZulu-Natal South Coast hospital after undergoing surgery.
Speaking from his hospital bed, Renier Kruger, from Umtentweni in Port Shepstone, posted an update on his condition on a community Facebook page thanking everyone who helped him after the incident.
“As most already know I have been attacked by a shark. Doesn't sound nice to know what actually happened but again I got to accept what has happened,” said Kruger.
Describing the sequence of events, Kruger said it was a normal day at work and they had planned to do two dives.
He said the attack happened during the first dive which was baited. Kruger said the dive started well as they had two bull sharks around the bait ball as they got into the water.
After the first few minutes of the dive they moved along.
“It didn’t take me long to get a residential Oceanic black tip by the name of Smiley onto the bait ball,” he said.
He said they had progressed in the dive around 30-35 minutes when the black tip shark decided to come from behind and bit his right hand while it was tucked in against his buoyancy control device.
“As I looked towards my hand inside her mouth I knew what was going to happen (but) I was proven wrong and didn’t lose my hand,” said Kruger.
Kruger said a fellow diver was right beside him after the shark let go of his hand and immediately attended to him once they got onto the boat.
According to Mi7 National Group spokesperson Colin David, the group’s Emergency Medical Services received information about the attack at 9.30am and medics who were at the Shelly Beach Ski Boat Club responded.
“It is believed a 26-year-old man was bitten by a shark while on a chartered dive just off the coast. When the patient arrived at the shore, Mi7 medics found he had sustained serious bite marks. He was quickly stabilised and transported to a local hospital,” said David.
Kruger said he was taken to the hospital where he underwent 5 hours of surgery.
“I am still not 100% sure of everything [that] is wrong with my hand but I was told it (the operation) was a success,” said Kruger.
At the time of the post, Kruger said he was waiting to speak to the doctor who worked on his hand to get feedback.
“Big thanks to everyone that was involved in helping me on the boat, especially David van Vuuren for getting me back to the beach with no time wasted and having the emergency team ready on the ramp,” he said.
Kruger added that he did not have bait in his hands and that he was not reckless during the dive.

 

[Endler's]

'Wonder if "Smiley" the shark, is in danger of being euthanized? Like problem bears often are...

Why do some bears get euthanized instead of relocated?