South African shark diving specialist Theo Ferreira has been banned from operating while authorities investigate claims that he was chumming the water close to a busy tourist beach.

Divers scare off shark during dive January 12, 2004 TWO men, including an off-duty Westpac Life Saver Rescue Helicopter crew member, managed to scare off a shark that tried to attack them during a sea dive off the NSW south coast today. Neither of the men was injured during the incident, in which the shark ripped a flipper off one of the men's feet. Bruce Slinn, the off-duty rescue worker, and a friend, who does not want his name released, were diving off Bushrangers Bay at Bass Point when a 3-1/2 metre Grey Nurse shark began circling about midday (AEDT), a Westpac Life Saver Rescue Helicopter spokesman said. "The shark took the flipper off one of the divers' feet," the spokesman said. "It ripped it straight off his foot." The divers, both aged in their late 30s, then adopted a defensive stance, in which they positioned themselves back-to-back, splashed around and made themselves look menacing, before the shark swam off. The divers then made it back to the beach. There were no reports of the shark remaining in the area. Mr Slinn used skills he had learned during training to scare the shark off, the spokesman said.
More links of interest
Gavin Parsons dives with tiger sharks in South Africa
Swimming with sharks
International Shark Attack File


News Index Page