Shark attack, Egypt, Brothers islands

[Bob DBF]

Sure. Riding a bicycle is dangerous too.

A close friend was killed when riding a bicycle, so I would agree.


Bob

 

[Christian]

A close friend was killed when riding a bicycle, so I would agree.


Bob

It can be. As can diving with or without sharks. So just lets stop with this silly nonsense comments.

 

[Bob DBF]

It can be. As can diving with or without sharks. So just lets stop with this silly nonsense comments.

I would suggest you do the same.

Bob

 

[Joneill]

It can be. As can diving with or without sharks. So just lets stop with this silly nonsense comments.

Of course riding a bike can be dangerous and I didn't say it wasn't. To me the only silly comment here was your statement that diving with Oceanic Whitetip sharks was not dangerous. They are unpredictable, wild animals known to be agressive to humans, so no one should not be lulled into thinking they are not dangerous if they choose to dive with them.

 

[Christian]

I would suggest you do the same.

Bob

Bob. Sorry about your friend. But I don’t do nonsense. It’s not my style. If you have anything to add to the conversation besides nitpicking words, please do. I have dived the site in question more than most on here and have extensive experience diving with OWT:s in the Red Sea. As I wrote: is it ”dangerous” to dive with them? Please note the ””-marks. I don’t think so if you follow ’protocol’. I also say that it’s not ”safe”. If you don’t take my word for it, the statistics are extremely clear. Thousands of dives and encounters every year. Still very, very few incidents. A handful over a decade. What is nonsense?

 

[Christian]

Of course riding a bike can be dangerous and I didn't say it wasn't. To me the only silly comment here was your statement that diving with Oceanic Whitetip sharks was not dangerous. They are unpredictable, wild animals known to be agressive to humans, so no one should not be lulled into thinking they are not dangerous if they choose to dive with them.

Please do not twist my statements. Please reread my post. I wrote that it is not ”safe”, nor is it ”dangerous”, considering you know what you’re doing. Please note the ””-marks. I have never said they can’t be dangerous.

 

[Joneill]

Please do not twist my statements. Please reread my post. I wrote that it is not ”safe”, nor is it ”dangerous”. Please note the ””-marks. I have never said they can’t be dangerous.

Ok - we're sort on the same page then. My point was that I feel it is a more dangerous activity compared to recreational diving where OWT's are not present. I'm not saying not to do it, but be prepared and be able to read the situation - this thread has some good info to help with that from what I've read.

I don't consider Reef sharks to be even remotely as dangerous as OWT's, but I am always vigilant when they are around. For example, I kept my eyes on this one after it spooked for no obvious reason to make sure it wasn't coming back through the group in an agitated state:

 

[InTheDrink]

Please do not twist my statements. Please reread my post. I wrote that it is not ”safe”, nor is it ”dangerous”, considering you know what you’re doing. Please note the ””-marks. I have never said they can’t be dangerous.

Let’s all take a deep breath here please.

One diver has been badly injured and we’re all wondering why and whether something changed the OWTs behavior lately.

Re whether diving with these sharks is dangerous. Yes it is, as is diving, as is riding bikes. In a relative sense OWTs generally don’t present significant danger when using common sense.

The lessons to be learnt here are how to dive with them safely, how to recognize changes in behavior and when to report unsafe practices, whether by boats or otherwise

 

[Christian]

As a diver who has never been 'bumped' by a shark, and going diving the red sea next summer, you are saying that you should let the shark bump you and do nothing ???? How do I know it is coming for a friendly bump vs an investigative bite ? Have only been around reef and nurse sharks.

One of the victims in Sharm El Sheikh was a female swimmer/snorkeler. She tried to give the examining shark a blow on the snout to deter it. Advice which is not unusual to hear... It resulted in her hand ending up in the sharks mouth, bitten off. Keep arms to yourself as much as you can. Don’t flap with your fins. Face the shark.
Another one tried to outswim the shark, triggering it to bite ... in the butt. Unfortunatelly cutting the big artery. Chumming for fish had been going on nearby. The French lady was a diver who snorkelled of a liveaboard in the St Johns group. Unknowingly to her, sharks had alledgedly been baited by the crew on another liveaboard. She free dived a few metres down towards a shark and swam next to it. As free divers do, when out of air, she went for the surface. Shark then went after her and bit her in the back of her leg/buttocks causing rapid and extensive blood loss, seemingly triggered by her ”escape”. She couldn’t be saved. Very tragic events, however very rare and perhaps not as random as they might seem at a quick glance.

 

[Christian]

Let’s all take a deep breath here please.

One diver has been badly injured and we’re all wondering why and whether something changed the OWTs behavior lately.

Re whether diving with these sharks is dangerous. Yes it is, as is diving, as is riding bikes. In a relative sense OWTs generally don’t present significant danger when using common sense.

The lessons to be learnt here are how to dive with them safely, how to recognize changes in behavior and when to report unsafe practices, whether by boats or otherwise

hear, hear