A South African shark expert has condemned as ”sensational” foreign media coverage of a recent attack by a great white shark during a shark-diving excursion, News24 reported on Wednesday.
”One must not lose track of the fact that shark diving is an adrenaline sport,” said Mariette Hopley, chairperson of the Great White Shark Protection Foundation.
Mark Currie of Cumbria, United Kingdom, made news this week when he told of his narrow escape near Hermanus when a shark bit at a steel cage in which he was diving.
A video of the incident was screened on British and American television.
According to reports, Currie narrowly escaped death after the shark suddenly attacked the cage.
Hopley said the video footage showed bait, thrown for the shark, floating past the cage.
”These are all lies. We are not allowed to feed the sharks. The bait is immediately pulled back into the boat if a shark goes for it,” she said.
”In this instance, the shark bit one of the rails. This happened twice more and when it realised it was not food, the shark swam away.”
Hopley said reports that someone on the boat had scared off a shark with a steel rod were incorrect.
”These are all lies. We are considering legal action against the media that first spread the stories.”
She said the incident was not the first of its kind during an excursion.
”This was simply part of a common action-packed day on such an excursion. We put the safety of clients and sharks high on our priorities list.”
Another British tourist, Chris Sullivan, survived a shark attack while surfing off Noordhoek beach on Monday. He suffered bite wounds to his calf.
Sullivan was admitted to Constantiaberg Medi-Clinic.
Linking this attack to the incident during the Hermanus excursion was unfair, Hopley said. — Sapa