Shark 'the size of a car' kills surfer in West Australia

[Memnoch]

From the Sydney Morning Herald Killer shark hunted as brother urges mercy By Nick O'Malley July 12, 2004 . The hunt for a killer shark "the size of a car" began yesterday along the beaches south of Perth, while the brother of the man it killed on Saturday afternoon called for the animal to be spared. . Stephen Smith said his brother, Bradley, 29, died doing what he loved best - surfing - and killing the shark would be a senseless act of revenge. . But even before Mr Smith spoke out yesterday, the West Australian Agriculture Minister, Kim Chance, had ordered police and fisheries officers to hunt and shoot the shark. . "If they can reasonably identify the animal, or the two animals, that took part in the attack and they can be identified beyond a responsible shadow of a doubt, then they will be destroyed," Mr Chance said. . In a tribute to Mr Smith for today's West Australian newspaper, Mario Vassallo a well-known surfing identity and friend of Bradley Smith, also called for the shark's killing. . "Me, I hate them personally and in my opinion I think that if a shark kills a person it should be put down," he wrote. . Beaches were closed and shark warning signs erected as a helicopter and a fishing boat sought the shark, or sharks. But there was debate as to which species was culpable. Fisheries officers believe they are either dusky or bronze whalers, or great whites. . A fisheries officer, Tony Cappelluti, said that despite using a grid technique to search a large area of water, the shark had not been seen by late yesterday. . A witness yesterday described seeing Mr Smith just after 2pm on Saturday battling a shark for his life as another circled him at a popular surfing beach called Left Handers, south of Gracetown, near Margaret River. . "When we looked out, there was this guy getting eaten by this massive shark, and there was another shark circling around him," Cameron Rowe said. . An unnamed man told ABC radio: "It just looked like a normal shark that you see thrashing around but they are normally reef sharks. But these [two sharks] were just heaps bigger, then we saw blood coming up." . Other witnesses believe both sharks attacked. One of the sharks was estimated to be five metres long and the other three metres. . "This guy started shouting and I looked over and there was two sharks just like thrashing around," said a witness, Mitch Campbell. . "And then we saw a guy scrambling around and saw him clinging to the shark and stuff, trying to like whack it, and trying to get away, and then they just kept coming back for more." . The attack lasted for 45 seconds before the sharks disappeared and surfers paddled to his aid in neck-deep water. Mr Smith was dead before two teenage boys could haul him ashore. . With The West Australian and AAP

What a way to go, eh. Wouldn't want to be out there surfing today.

[ 07-11-2004, 12:23 PM: Message edited by: Memnoch ]

[Dron_Cah]

Wow. That would be simply terrifying. Poor guy.

[Raistlin Majere]

Wow...thats some really awful luck. I mean, isnt it supposed to be like REALLY unlikely to get attacked by a shark? Even when surfing...Though I suppose its just natures way, in the end, as sad as it may be

[Larry_OHF]

Almost a minute of torture as you feel something eating your flesh and you can do nothing to save yourself.

Scares the freak outta me, but not enough to never go into the ocean again.

[johnny]

The shape of a surfboard gives the sharks the impression it's a sealion, and we all know they are their favourite snack. I feel sorry for the guy, but the shark was only following it's instincts.

personally, no matter how much i'd enjoy surfing, i'd never risk myself into shark infested waters, that's asking for trouble.

[The Hierophant]

This definately was an awful way for someone to die, but I'm with Johnny on this one. Killing the shark isn't going to solve anything.

[T-D-C]

A Horrible way for someone to die. I agree there is no way theat they can ID the shark without killing it. Especially when they don't know what species that was. It could be miles away by now.

[johnny]

Chances are that the shark was tagged, they do that a lot nowadays to study their behaviour, and follow their routes. Especially the great whites are popular study objects. If this one had the size of a car, it's a pretty safe bet that it's a great white, and then there's a good opportunity they exactly know which shark it was, and what it's current location is.

I still don't think that they should go after it and kill it, it's silly to label a shark as a murderer, it's a natural thing, the surfer got in the shark's huntinggrounds, and if that happens, you can kiss your ass goodbye.

People always lose their minds when a human gets killed by an animal. I remember an incident in Spain, where a toreador got taken on the bull's horns and trampled to death. The crowd was incredibly offended by this murderous bull, and demanded justice. They actually sentenced the bull to death, for killing the toreador. I mean, how insane can you get ? The way is see it, the toreador got exactly what was coming to him. It's too bad that there weren't a few more bulls around to have their way with the lunatics in the stands, that would have been a real good show.

[Harkoliar]

to think it was only neck-deep .. *shudders*

[Stormymystic]

I agree with Larry, it is scary but it is a risk we face every day, it is sad the guy died, but he died doing what he loved. and like johnny said, we ask for what we get when it comes to animals [img]smile.gif[/img] if we swim in hunting grounds, be prepared to get attacked, if we fight bulls, be prepared to have the bull fight back, it is only natures way of protecting it's self