News
Diver attacked by Shark in 2004 attacked again; undergoes 10 hours of surgery
Shark attack victim Greg Pickering has undergone 10 hours of surgery and is in a stable condition after a horrifying attack yesterday.
Mr Pickering – who survived an attack by a 1.5m bronze whaler in March 2004, while spearfishing with a friend about 9km off Cervantes – was working about 180km east of Esperance in Western Australia yesterday when he was attacked again, by what’s believed to be a great white shark.
Just before 9am this morning a Royal Perth Hospital spokeswoman said Mr Pickering was out of surgery and in a stable condition. He is expected to speak to the media about his ordeal in the next few days.
Tonight, Nine News reports that Mr Pickering was bitten on the head and chest, and that he has lost an eye in the attack.
Nine News also reports that Mr Pickering endured hours of travelling by boat and car before he could receive medical treatment.
His quick-think diving colleagues applied pressure on his wounds with anything they could find as he endured a 40km boat tow back to shore.
At the same time, a crew on a nearby boat lent assistance and used a satellite phone to arrange a rendezvous point with paramedics.
Early this afternoon, the WA fisheries department cancelled a “catch and kill” order for the shark.
Director General Stuart Smith issued a statement saying the order had been cancelled because there was no longer an imminent risk of another attack.
“There have been no further sightings of a white shark in the area and it is likely that the shark responsible for the attack is no longer in this general locality,” Mr Smith said.
“Efforts have also been made to advise people camping around Cape Arid about the incident which has reduced the likelihood of them entering the water.”
Capture gear was deployed at the site of the attack yesterday and re-set at 5am this morning.
Earlier today, the department said the shark posed an imminent threat to campers to the area during school holidays.
But Mr Smith conceded this morning it was possible the wrong shark could be caught.
“We probably won’t know for sure unless there’s evidence of DNA that we will be able to test,” he told reporters this morning.
Mr Smith admitted the DNA results would not come back until after the animal was killed.
But he added that the size of the animal would also help to determine if it was likely to be the shark that attacked Mr Pickering.
Mr Smith said the department’s shark experts had informed him that the shark could have swum away from the area or it could remain lurking in the waters for some time.
It is the second time a kill order has been issued in WA.
On the previous occasion, two tiger sharks were caught and released after they were tagged, but the great white shark the department was looking for was not found, Mr Smith said.
A department spokeswoman said a decision on whether to continue with the kill action would be made this afternoon.
Australian Underwater Federation WA spearfishing representative Graham Carlisle told reporters that Mr Pickering was an active and respected member of WA’s diving community and had held the position as records officer with the federation for many years.
“Greg has always been involved in the ocean life; he’s spent a lot of his time in the water both for pleasure and for work,” he said.
“He would have had a number of close calls, as would any spearfisherman.
“The more time in the water, the higher probability something will happen. That’s just an accepted reality of the work.
“The guys are very cautious, they’re very careful in general.”
Mr Carlisle said the diving and spearfishing community was very close-knit in WA.
“All the abalone divers know each other and the spearfishermen are just as tight,” he said.
Police were alerted to the attack at 10.25am yesterday morning. It’s believed Mr Pickering suffered serious injuries.
He was taken to shore by divers on a nearby boat and transferred to Esperance Hospital by St John Ambulance just before 2pm.
For more on this story click here.
Source: www.news.com.au
Photo: Jordan Shields
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Jake Davies boards Ghazala Explorer for an unforgettable Red Sea diving experience…
Overnight, the wind picked up, making the planned morning dive a bit bumpy on the Zodiacs to the drop point on Thomas Reef. There, we would dive along the reef before descending through the canyon and then passing under the arch before ascending the wall with a gentle drift. The site provided great encounters with more pelagic species, including shoals of large barracuda, tuna, and bigeye trevally.
Once back on the boat, it was time to get everything tied down again as we would head back south. This time, with the wind behind us, heading to Ras Mohammed to dive Jackfish Alley for another great gentle drift wall dive before then heading up the coast towards the Gulf of Suez to moor up at the wreck of the Thistlegorm. This being the highlight wreck dive of the trip and for many onboard, including myself, it was the first time diving this iconic wreck. I had heard so much about the wreck from friends, and globally, this is a must on any diver’s list. Fortunately for us, there was only one other boat at the site, which was a rarity. A great briefing was delivered by Ahmed, who provided a detailed background about the wreck’s history along with all the required safety information as the currents and visibility at the site can be variable.
Kitting up, there was a lot of excitement on deck before entering the water and heading down the shoreline. Descending to the wreck, there was a light northerly current which reduced the visibility, making it feel more like the conditions that can be found off the Welsh coast. At 10m from the bottom, the outline of the wreck appeared as we reached the area of the wreck which had been bombed, as our mooring line was attached to part of the propeller shaft. Arriving on deck, instantly everywhere you looked there were many of the supplies which the ship was carrying, including Bren Carrier tanks and projectiles that instantly stood out.
We headed around the exterior, taking a look at the large propeller and guns mounted on deck before entering the wreck on the port side to take a look in the holds. It was incredible to see all the trucks, Norton 16H, and BSA motorcycles still perfectly stacked within, providing a real snapshot in time.
Overall, we had four dives on the Thistlegorm, where for all of the dives we were the only group in the water, and at times, there were just three of us on the whole wreck, which made it even more special, especially knowing that most days the wreck has hundreds of divers. Along with the history of the wreck, there was plenty of marine life on the wreck and around, from big green turtles to batfish, along with shoals of mackerel being hunted by trevally. Some unforgettable dives.
The final leg of the trip saw us cross back over the Suez Canal to the Gobal Islands where we planned to stay the night and do three dives at the Dolphin House for the potential of sharing the dive with dolphins. The site, which included a channel that was teeming with reef fish, especially large numbers of goatfish that swam in large shoals along the edge of the reef. These were nice relaxing dives to end the week. Unfortunately, the dolphins didn’t show up, which was okay as like all marine life they are difficult to predict and you can’t guarantee what’s going to be seen. With the last dive complete, we headed back to port for the final night where it was time to clean all the kit and pack before the departure flight the next day.
The whole week from start to finish on Ghazala Explorer was amazing; the boat had all the facilities you need for a comfortable week aboard. The crew were always there to help throughout the day and the chefs providing top quality food which was required after every dive. The itinerary providing some of the best diving with a nice mixture of wreck and reef dives. I would recommend the trip to anyone, whether it’s your first Red Sea liveaboard in the Red Sea or you’re revisiting. Hopefully, it’s not too long before I head back to explore more of the Red Sea onboard Ghazala Explorer.
To find out more about the Northern Red Sea reef and wrecks itineraries aboard Ghazala Explorer, or to book, contact Scuba Travel now:
Email: dive@scubatravel.com
Tel: +44 (0)1483 411590
Photos: Jake Davies / Avalon.Red
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