50-year-old Randy Fry was diving for abalone off the northern Californian coast on Sunday 15 August when he was attacked and killed by a 6-metre-long shark.

Fry was diving with two friends on abalone beds in 6 metres, just off Ten Mile River Beach, Westport. Fellow diver Red Bartley witnessed the attack from the dive boat, and acted quickly to haul the remaining diver, Cliff Zimmerman out of the sea and back into the safety of the boat.

Zimmerman had been barely a metre away from Fry when the attack occurred and recounted the sensation of the shark coming past him in the water like a torpedo, just before the water became clouded with blood.

The shark is likely to have been a great white, but the attack was described as being 'over in five seconds' and neither witness could provide a positive identification.

US Coastguard recovered Fry's headless body on Monday and his remains were formally identified.

California's last fatal shark attack was in August 2003 when a woman swimming with seals was attacked close to a beach in southern California.

Shark attacks on divers are extremely rare, and the majority involve divers who are spear-fishing. For statistics, see International Shark Attack File website



More links of interest
California swimmer killed by shark
Abalone diver killed by shark (S Africa)
Swimming with sharks


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