Australia surfer bitten in half by shark


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A surfer was bitten in half in a savage shark attack off Australia's west coast Saturday, witnesses and officials said, the fifth such fatality in the region in less than a year.

The man was surfing near Wedge Island, north of Perth, on Saturday morning with a friend when he was mauled by the shark, suffering severe and extensive injuries.

A man jet-skiing near the surfers said it was a gruesome scene, with "half a torso" all that remained of the victim.

"There was just blood everywhere and a massive, massive (great) white shark circling the body," he told ABC television, estimating the fish was four or five metres (13 to 16 feet) long.

"I reached to grab the body and the shark came at me on the jet-ski and tried to knock me off. I did another loop and when I came back to the body the shark took it."

Made infamous by the horror movie "Jaws", great whites are among the largest shark species in the world and can grow up to six metres long (20 feet) and weigh up to two tonnes.

Beach patrol officials confirmed that the attack was fatal, and a large-scale air, coast and sea search was underway for the remains of the victim, who was reported to be in his early 20s.

A police spokesman told AFP: "At this stage no remains have been located."

All beaches in the area were closed until further notice, and fisheries were hunting the shark in order to kill it.

"We'll go right through to nightfall tonight, we will then resume that tomorrow morning and make some decisions tomorrow," a fisheries spokesman said.

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Sorry but why kill the shark, it was only out there looking for food.

I honestly feel sorry for the family and for their loss, but I'm sure the surfer knew the risks, as there have been other reported attacks in the area.

If we humans enter into the sharks domain we are fair game. Just like if they ever come out the water and into our homes we can start shooting them.

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Sorry but why kill the shark, it was only out there looking for food.

I honestly feel sorry for the family and for their loss, but I'm sure the surfer knew the risks, as there have been other reported attacks in the area.

If we humans enter into the sharks domain we are fair game. Just like if they ever come out the water and into our homes we can start shooting them.

Couldnt agree more. Well said.

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Pics or it

umm , nevermind :|

Poor Surfer , but then to whom can we blame ? :/

Sorry but why kill the shark, it was only out there looking for food.

So that the cycle continues , we kill them , they kill us ,,,.

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Sorry but why kill the shark, it was only out there looking for food.

Because generally Sharks don't attack people because we're not great food for them, if this Shark gets a taste for people, or realizes how easy pickings we are, it might get a taste for people and start attacking more. I know a lot of people value animals more than people, but the life of a mindless eating machine over what could be several people is wrong.

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Because generally Sharks don't attack people because we're not great food for them, if this Shark gets a taste for people, or realizes how easy pickings we are, it might get a taste for people

i dont know for sure but think this is wrong. I would predict the opposite.
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Sorry but why kill the shark, it was only out there looking for food.

I honestly feel sorry for the family and for their loss, but I'm sure the surfer knew the risks, as there have been other reported attacks in the area.

If we humans enter into the sharks domain we are fair game. Just like if they ever come out the water and into our homes we can start shooting them.

i wonder if some people that have loved ones drown in a boating accident say "lets get rid of the river/lake"? ;)
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i wonder if some people that have loved ones drown in a boating accident say "lets get rid of the river/lake"? ;)

You know, I'm sure it has happened! :/

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i dont know for sure but think this is wrong. I would predict the opposite.

Sometimes animals do begin to attack people on a more regular basis once they've done it once, the fact the Shark kept up the attack means it went way further than most sharks do, most Shark attacks are just the Shark "tasting" the person, realizing it doesn't actually like us and then swimming away, unfortunately a limb may have been lost during this "taste test". The Shark had done real damage and was trying to finish him off, even attacking the guy rescuing him. This feels like the Shark would have continued to attack people, especially considering how slow we are in the water.

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Sometimes animals do begin to attack people on a more regular basis once they've done it once, the fact the Shark kept up the attack means it went way further than most sharks do, most Shark attacks are just the Shark "tasting" the person, realizing it doesn't actually like us and then swimming away, unfortunately a limb may have been lost during this "taste test". The Shark had done real damage and was trying to finish him off, even attacking the guy rescuing him. This feels like the Shark would have continued to attack people, especially considering how slow we are in the water.

The concern is how many sharks will be killed by mistake until they can confirm that they have the right one.

Surely shark nets and other defences would be better to try move the shark to another area out to sea.

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Because generally Sharks don't attack people because we're not great food for them, if this Shark gets a taste for people ...

I could never get used to eating human ...

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Because generally Sharks don't attack people because we're not great food for them, if this Shark gets a taste for people, or realizes how easy pickings we are, it might get a taste for people and start attacking more. I know a lot of people value animals more than people, but the life of a mindless eating machine over what could be several people is wrong.

You're contradicting yourself there, we're not great food for them, but he's going to get a taste for us? How is it going to do that? By intelligently discussing his latest meal with his shark buddies and passing a referendum in the shark kingdom regarding the consumption of humans as mid day snacks?

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I love the ocean, but I would never hang out in an area where I know I might run into a great white.

Surfers know the risk when they surf in those areas. Still sucks to go that way

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