Diver fights off shark - Australia

[DandyDon]

Swimmer seriously injured after shark mauling in Australia | Metro News

A man in Australia fought off a three-metre shark by punching it in the face as it attacked him underwater.
The 31-year-old fisherman was bitten on his arms and legs while scuba diving in the water near Miall Island, off Yepoon in Queensland today.
He attracted the predator’s attention when he speared a trout, the Brisbane Times reported.

He was seriously injured in the attack and was taken to hospital.
‘The shark came at him head on,’ ambulance officer Brad Miers told ABC after the man had been taken to shore and then driven to Rockhampton Base Hospital.
So far he hasn’t been able to talk much about what happened, but said he was in a school of mackerel when the shark came up, chasing the fish.
Suddenly it went for him and he was locked into a fight for his life.
Over the last few days, beaches in New South Wales have been closed after sharks were spotted close the shoreline.
One beach was shut for four hours on New Year’s Day after two suspected great white sharks were seen in the area.

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[drrich2]

I wonder what species? I don't think a great white would've been chasing mackerel? I clicked your Brisbane Times link, in the quoted post, and it showed some more info.:

Queensland Ambulance Service senior operations supervisor Brad Miers said the man had been spearfishing and had speared a trout, which attracted a school of mackerel and then the shark, which was up to 3 metres long.

So, up to a roughly 10-foot shark. From this description, was it chasing the mackerel or not?

No way to know yet what species, and I'm not familiar with what lives in the region, but what are the likely suspects?

Richard.

 

[chris kippax]

Notoriously bad viz in the area the accident occurred. Attack was almost on the Tropic of Capricorn. A wide variety of sharks frequent the waters off Yeppoon. Bull/tiger/various whalers (bronze and sandbar) and also great whites. I personally think a bull/whaler but it is only a guess.

 

[HalcyonDaze]

Sounds like between the bad viz and being in the middle of the school what happened was the shark was going after fish and homed in on the wounded one. As to the species, that's probably only going to be ID'd by the diver or by experts looking at the bites. 10 feet is still juvie-sized for a white; at that age they are generally running down fish rather than marine mammals. It's just as likely to be one of the various requiem sharks.

Visibility seems to be a key factor in shark attacks on spearfishers; given the concentration of sharks and spearos we have in Jupiter I'm impressed at how few actual bites there have been. The clearer water probably means a) less chance of the shark making a mistake or surprising a diver and b) better odds for the spearo to see it coming and take appropriate action.

 

[Neuatomic]

... better odds for the spearo to see it coming and take appropriate action.

What do folks think would be appropriate action if suspecting an attack? Besides attempting to reducing viz via the involuntary emergency bowel evacuation procedure...

 

[wgw04024]

What do folks think would be appropriate action if suspecting an attack? Besides attempting to reducing viz via the involuntary emergency bowel evacuation procedure...

I am wonder the same thing. I think I'd poke it in the nose....with something...

 

[DandyDon]

I am wonder the same thing. I think I'd poke it in the nose....with something...

With anything not containing blood vessels?

I don't think any predator likes to attack anything looking at them, preferring a sneak attack. Many will, but facing them would be my first defense - and I'd want to watch them anyway. Some say to take a non-aggressive posture, but I wouldn't know how - nor could I move much I don't think. Latch ditch is to fight like hell, as this fellow did. The docs are trying to save his arms, but you can't get a prosthetic body. Even with mountain lions and black bears, there are many reports of survivors fighting hand to jaws - grizzlies not so many.

Some of the wildest stories I've read were about tourists fighting cougars over children, and winning. I carry a half pound can of bear spray on hiking trails. Too bad such wouldn't help underwater.

 

[wgw04024]

I would use my dive knife if I think I'm about to be a snack to something. Right in the nose!

 

[CuzzA]

I would use my dive knife if I think I'm about to be a snack to something. Right in the nose!

Unfortunately just below the nose is the mouth. I've read a fair amount of stories where swimmers, surfers, etc. used the typical advice "hit a shark in the nose" only to have their hand end up in the mouth and consequently cut off. In my research, if possible, going for the eyes and gills are your best bet. If it can't see or can't breath you'll stand a better chance of either avoiding the bite altogether, it releasing you once injured or it not coming back for seconds.

 

[chris kippax]

It's not uncommon for spear fisherman to poke sharks/grouper (anything giving unwanted attention) with their spear shaft. They don't fire at the animal just give it a good hard nudge with the tip of the shaft. In most cases the animal gets a fair fright and departs rapidly. This only works if you can see the animal approaching you.