Shark Attacks in Cozumel

[Karibelle]

All of them? Not surfing? Can you point me to that part of the reference, please? I can't find it...

Or is it inherent in the "divers" - sorry. I missed that title.

thanks.

---------- Post added August 11th, 2013 at 05:53 PM ----------

I also missed this (bold text is not mine, it's from the original article):

Surfers and others participating in board sports (60% of cases: 48 incidents) were most often involved in these incidents in 2012. Less affected recreational user groups included swimmers/waders (22%) and divers (8%). Surfers have been the most-affected user group in recent years, the probable result of the large amount of time spent by these folks engaged in provocative activity (kicking of feet, splashing of hands, and "wipeouts") in areas frequented by sharks, the surf zone.

I don't mean to assume things based on a report I've only skimmed, but it does seem that the post above referencing "a person on a surf-board because their siloutte looks remarkably like the sharks food (a seal)" does have some merit.

 

[KevWind]

Try this:
FLMNH Ichthyology Department: Statistics of Shark Attacks on Divers Worldwide

FLMNH Ichthyology Department: Statistics of Shark Attacks on Divers

To clarify the above links refer to attacks on divers over a period of 192 years ....1820 to 2012.............81% of which were not fatal

And the 80 attacks in 2012 was total of all unprovoked attacks , surfers , swimmers, divers, fishermen etc. in fact according to that web sight divers were involved in only 8% of unprovoked attacks which equals 6.4 divers it remains unclear exactly who the .4 diver is

Surfers and others participating in board sports (60% of cases: 48 incidents) were most often involved in these incidents in 2012. Less affected recreational user groups included swimmers/waders (22%) and divers (8%). Surfers have been the most-affected user group in recent years, the probable result of the large amount of time spent by these folks engaged in provocative activity (kicking of feet, splashing of hands, and "wipeouts") in areas frequented by sharks, the surf zone.

 

[AZTinman]

Interesting discussion and perspectives in response to the original post. The 1993 Dallas Morning News article is interesting as well. Based upon the witness statements it sounds a lot like some thing grabbed her and took her over the ledge. Consider what the witnesses stated in the article:

"The dive plan was to go to a depth of 60 feet for 40 minutes,' Mr. Wilson
said.

Ms. Eggemeyer was the last diver to enter the water. By then, she had
drifted slightly past the ledge, where the sea floor drops off.

The American instructor reported that -- as he returned another wayward diver
to the boat -- he saw Ms. Eggemeyer swimming without difficulty back to the
ledge.

But within moments, Mr. Wilson said, "The local dive guide came to surface
saying he saw a dive light going over the ledge very fast.'

Of course, there may be a case to be made for the diver being hit by a boat and later being scavenged, but I see no reference to another boat in the 1993 article. I have heard numerous accounts from victims of shark attacks which note being grabbed and moved through the water very fast. The reality is that since no one actually witnessed what happened to the diver in 1993, we'll never actually know what happened to her. It was a night dive and no one really witnessed what happened.

As divers who value life in the ocean (including sharks), we might not like the bad perceptions associated with the word 'attack', but if you're minding your business (swimming, diving, surfing, or kayaking) and something comes along and bites you or attempts to bite you, I think 'attacked' is the right word. Despite the fact that surfers and kayakers might look a lot like seals, 'attacked' is still an appropriate descriptor if 'ole whitey' decides to take a shot at what he/she thinks looks a meal. Like it or not, shark 'attacks' do happen on occasion. I think most humans have an innate fear of being munched on while still alive. This fear may seem illogical given statistics. but it's still going to be there. Goofy shows like the ones aired by the Discovery Channel during Shark Week don't do much to get valid information to the public... so much for responsible educational programming.

I once had a teacher who made a yearly trip to Yellowstone National Park. He always returned with amazing close-up photographs of grizzly bears. I knew what kind of photographic equipment he owned and it was obvious that he had a habit of getting way too close to his subjects. While he no longer works for me, he still makes his annual trips to Yellowstone. One of these days, I'm certain that I'll see a news story about a school teacher who gets eaten by grizzlies in Yellowstone National Park. If it happens, I'll know it'll his own fault for crossing common sense boundaries, but he's comfortable taking the risks and living on the edge. If a bear decides to see him as a 'take out' meal, the descriptor that he's a victim of a bear attack won't be inaccurate just because he chooses to enter the grizzlies' turf and get too close.

-AZTinman

 

[robint]

Almost 10 years ago, when on a liveaboard, I participated in a "shark feed" experience. More than 20 divers, kneeling in a circle while a chumcicle was lowered right in front of us... several dozen sharks munched until it was gone. At that point we all had to swim back to the boat. The sharks came with us. As we waited for our turn to climb the ladder back up on the boat, the sharks swam between us... and yes, the even bumped us over and over. You CANNOT tell me the sharks thought we were food, or that they wanted to eat us. They were well aware that we had provided the food and that they wanted more. But not a single diver, more than 20 of us in the water for 30+ minutes with the blood and chum, got a single scratch. Having a shark bump you in the back while you are waiting to get on a boat is a bit unnerving, yes, but the sharks obviously didn't want humans for lunch.

my very old video of the week with sharks almost every dive


the shark feed is near the end.... you can see they were pretty aggressive with food in the water... other than that, the sharks swam around us on dives, sometimes within inches, and NO ONE got bitten, or eaten.

robin

 

[divingpyrate]

rock on
not this kid and I will not dive where they chum or feed sharks

Why is the rum always gone

 

[Ron Lee]

"But within moments, Mr. Wilson said, "The local dive guide came to surface saying he saw a dive light going over the ledge very fast.'

That could have been a dropped light.
From reading this thread I am of the opinion that there has never been a CONFIRMED fatal shark attack of a diver on Cozumel

 

[Banarep]

I was the American Scuba instructor on that dive. It was a tiger shark attack. I talked to George personally.

 

[jd950]

All shark lovers: It helps, maybe just a little bit, if we don't refer to these as "attacks." That has a connotation of aggression, which is not present. They're predators, looking for food. These are "incidents." Humans got in the way... If all of us made this small change as we discuss this issue, it will have a positive impact on others as they consider sharks, and how they feel about them.

my two cents, for your consideration.
kari

I agree. I think we should go with "feeding frenzy" or maybe "terrifying encounter"

Perhaps in line with current popular usage, we should call anyone who sees a shark on a dive a "survivor"




Please put down the pitchforks, the comments above were made in jest (mostly), although I think when a person is bitten by a shark, "shark attack" is a suitable term unless it can be documented as an accidental bite. We do the same with honey bees, dogs and bears, even when bees are just protecting their hive and bears are just protecting their cubs, so...

 

[El Graduado]

I was the American Scuba instructor on that dive. It was a tiger shark attack. I talked to George personally.

Just trying to understand you here, Banarep; do you mean you SAW the tiger shark attack the woman, George TOLD you it was a tiger shark attack because HE saw the tiger shark attack the woman, or is there some other piece of evidence that you left out that confirms that this was a tiger shark attack?

 

[Mossman]

As a "victim" of a vicious shark attack, I can personally attest that sharks do not only bite humans as a potential food source, but out of aggression as well. Especially when provoked. They are mean and ruthless creatures and don't always understand when a human is just playing around with them - kind of like some posters here on ScubaBoard.