A man, aged 40, passed away following an encounter with a type of shark that was previously considered harmless. The incident occurred while the tourist was swimming and recording footage approximately 100m away from the shore in Hadera, situated off the coast of Israel. Witnesses reported that the man was surrounded by dusky sharks, with one shark seemingly attacking his GoPro camera before he cried out for help as he was being bitten. Subsequently, he vanished from view as the water turned red, with shark fins visible on the water’s surface.
Unfortunately, rescue boats arrived too late to save the man, as local reports confirmed his disappearance. Subsequent searches located small amounts of human remains at sea, leading to the victim’s identification and the grim realization that he had been consumed by multiple sharks during the incident, as reported in the journal Ethology.
Dusky sharks, known to reach lengths of about 3m (10ft), are typically reserved and cautious around humans. Researchers attribute the extremely rare dusky shark attack to various factors, such as animal instincts during feeding frenzies, warm water discharged from desalination plants along the coast, and the abundance of food waste dumped in the area.
Moreover, human interactions with dusky sharks in the region, including feeding practices by tourists and boat operators, have contributed to an increased shark presence. This has led to the sharks associating humans with food, resulting in a behavior known as “begging,” according to scientists. Some sharks have been observed approaching divers directly, seeking food handouts and displaying competitive behavior during feeding times.
To prevent future fatalities involving dusky sharks, scientists emphasize the need to discourage begging behavior by implementing a complete ban on public feeding of sharks. They assert that this measure is crucial in comparison to other potential actions.