An unfortunate event recently happened at Sanctuary Beach in Plettenberg Bay, South Africa, after a shark savagely attacked an unnamed swimmer. Witnesses claimed that the shark had been spotted stalking the coastline on the day of the attack.
Shark attacks are becoming more rampant as encounters between them and humans increase. Learn in this article which shark species should be avoided to prevent brutal attacks.
Beach Trip Turned to Terror Due to Savage, Bloody Shark Attack
According to Daily Star, the shark attack incident happened on Tuesday afternoon as onlookers frantically called for help. Some footage of the shark showed a great white lurking in the waters near the coastline just minutes before it mauled the man to death turning the waters into red.
Authorities from the National Sea Rescue immediately deployed two rescue crafts after being alarmed by witnesses. An NSRI doctor, Western Cape EMS, and South African Police Services responded to the scene, but they were too late to arrive as the man had already died on the scene.
Craig Lambinon, the spokesperson for NSRI, said that the body of the man, believed to be a resident in the area, was recovered from the water from the back surf line onto the rescue raft. It was brought to the NSRI Plettenberg rescue station.
Lambinon and authorities have conveyed their condolences to the family of the victim. As of now, the Bitou Municipality closed all nearby beaches after what happened. Authorities appeal to the public, especially swimmers, sailors, paddlers, and boaters, to exercise caution to prevent such fatal incidents.
Meanwhile, Daily Mirror also reports a separate incident of a shark attack in the Caribbean Sea on June 24 resulted in the amputation of the arm of a 29-year-old man after a huge 15-foot shark ripped it off his right arm and left him traumatized. Despite what happened, he was grateful to have survived the horrible encounter.
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Aggressive Sharks That Need to Be Avoided
The fear of death via shark attack is universal even though people are more likely to get killed by lightning and cows kill about 20 people each year. Films, such as Jaws and The Meg became popular hits that might also fuel the fear of sharks among people.
On the other hand, shark attacks are not impossible to happen and have proven to be fatal. With over 500 shark species discovered, only a small portion are highly aggressive towards humans and boats. Here are the top seven aggressive shark species according to AZ Animals:
- Shortfin Mako Shark - One of the most menacing-looking shark species with its eyes and pointed snout. They also have the strongest shark bite ever recorded.
- Great Hammerhead Shark - These sharks eat different types of fish, crabs, stingrays and skates, and even other shark species.
- Sand Tiger Sharks - Also known as gray nurse sharks and ragged-tooth sharks, this species are night hunters and have a record of 36 non-fatal human attacks.
- Blacktip Sharks - They are usually found in shallow, clear water and may swim towards the threat if provoked.
- Bull Sharks- They are extremely aggressive and can be found in freshwater bodies, having more access to humans.
- Tiger Sharks - They are the second most aggressive shark species, with 131 attacks and 34 fatalities.
- Great White Sharks- They are the most aggressive sharks, with 333 attacks and 52 of which are fatal. They stalk their prey and swim at incredibly fast speeds.
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