Diver killed by shark

[SCUBA Dog]

People routinely do things that others would consider dangerous, risky or just plain crazy. One death in 25 years is a pretty good record compared to some other activites in which people participate. The dive operator is providing a service to divers who are interested in exactly what he is offering. You can't protect people from themselves. Like other activities, you have to evaluate the risks and decide if it is worth it to you. Diving with tiger sharks and bull sharks without a cage while chumming the water is risky and may not be the smartest thing to do, but that is up to the individual to decide. Just like cave diving, sky diving, driving race cars, climbing Mt. Everest, etc., etc., etc. You can bet that the dive operator makes the shark diving groups well aware of the risk and potential for injury / death. They then have made a concious and informed decision to engage in that activity. With regard to lawyers making a difference - That is why McDonald's now has to warn us that their coffee is hot.

[scubadog76]

Having never dove with this particular operation, I will gladly take Jason's word for their  safety protocal.  However, I have witnessed many times, dive operators putting the almighty dollar in front of safety.  In Cozumel, you will see people roll off cruise ships all day long that have not dove in years and because the operator's tell them they will be "fine", they push their gut instinct out of the way.  The thought process of the people must be: "they wouldn't be in business if people died or got hurt, besides I'm diving with a business not some guy off the street".  I'm sure their sales pitch was: "nobody has gotten hurt or killed in our 25 years".  I am not totally blaming the dive outfit either.  Diving has dangers involved.  They provide a guided service into a bad neighborhood.  The divers be accountable to find out the risk's and the charter should be honest about them.  It just seems to me that on this particular dive the operator not only brought them into a bad neighborhood but also had them hold a Rolex and $1000.00 cash over their heads- 

[vne5]

Here's my opinion..(not that it really matters). I have done multiple shark dives without a cage in the Bahamas. I have yet to see anyone involved in a shark attack. Diving has it's risks period! I do believe that you should exercise caution as to your environment as well as, the wildlife. Some sharks have a higher risk involved with interacting with them, just like diving a wreck. Some wrecks are easy, and some are hard. This is what makes our sport so special.  What everyone needs to remember is, millions of people dive each year without incident and good percentage of them aren't diving local lakes where your biggest fear is getting nibbled on by a sunfish. Diving with sharks and large sealife is an amazing experience.  Ok, with that being said, don't let an isolated event stop you from enjoying your diving to the fullest.

[MAXFACTOR]

My best dive ever was on a shark dive in the Bahamas with EVA, from GUDC.  We had I think 25 different sharks swimming right around us.  3 big Pregnant ones to boot.

Between the  video, pictures and recollection I've got you can see a shark going in for a chunk of "fish on a stick" with its eyes closing as its mouth is opening, another shark did the same thing, but its mouth went completely over the first sharks head, which  had a big chunk of fish in its mouth. 

IT WAS ABSOLUTELY AWESOME TO NOT ONLY HAVE A VIDEO OF THE DIVE, but ALSO PICTURES. 

The 2nd shark that bit the first shark, seemed to realize that it bit the other shark and slowly just opened its mouth a bit wider, and literally backed out if you will,  and the first shark just swam away with lunch. 

A minute or two later, the shark that had been bitten, with holes in its side of the head, swam right in front of us again, and I have a picture with the shark bite, and slight blood slit from the bite.  ALSO  AWESOME. 

Also,  in the same video, with Sharks all around and on video,  I did a full mask off, and clearing and regulator out of mouth exercise for the "training" and surprised all who saw the video back at the motel that night. 

DIVING WITH SHARKS IS NOT THAT DANGEROUS. Do the dive with one of the shops or dive operations. 

Try it..... when you see your first shark coming in from 100 feet away, and the animal is slowing going side to side, and coming right at you, you have a new appreciation for just how beautiful they are, especially when you figure out that they are more afraid of you then you are of them when they swim right by you. 

Its even cooler when you reach out to touch them and you discover that you are more of a threat to them then they are to you and they "swim for they're life to get away from you. 

BULL SHARKS... thats a different story..  CAGE FOR ME.

I agree with the other  EXPERIENCED SHARK DIVERs ABOVE. 

Maybe someday, up at CROSBY or Coffee Club,  I'll have to show that video and the pictures of the same dive.

Maxfactor.