Fatal Shark Attack in Reunion Island

Helmut Nickel, Shark Year Magazine,
20. September 2011.

According to the information site zinfos974, Mathieu Schiller (32) was fatally attacked by a shark while surfing in Saint Gilles, Reunion Island, on September 19th.

The incident occurred off the Boucan Canot beach at about 3.30 pm.

The body has not been recovered yet, the search for the victim will resume tomorrow morning.

It’s the fourth shark attack ( 2nd fatality ) this year in the waters of Reunion Island.

Local authorities have decided to take ‘drastic measures’ to prevent further shark attacks.

Source and Video (below): zinfos974.com

15 Comments

  1. My sincere condolences to the family of Helmut. It
    is tragic.

    However, I dont feel that drastic measures should taken to prevent further shark attacks.. it is their territory! it is like a stranger breaking into your house, you trying to defend yourself, then getting a death sentence for doing so.

    My husband and I love surfing, he was out at One Eye at La Monde this afternoon, with no one around and was fully aware of the risk involved.

    if
    you do not want to be attacked by a shark, then stay clear of the ocean.

    • Michael Schirmer

      hey, it is nothing about territory it is testing the flesh. sometimes the victim do not survive this testing. Sharks do not eat human and have no territory.

      • Lana

        Michael,

        Maybe you can clarify your response a bit. it sounds like you are saying all those lost in the USS Indianapolis were just testing bites. If so what does the testing bites tell us???

        • Michael Schirmer

          Of course the have a habitat but no territory because they chance their
          areas of living. They are not like lions which defend their marked territory.
          accordingly they attack humans just for two reasons: They confound us with
          their usual prey animal (very infrequent ) or we tease them as divers.
          Shark attacks are absolutly rare.

          • This is true with some missing info. There have been many cases that the shark just eats humans whole. So like in mankind killers or mass murderers, there are some crazy sharks out there that will attack you as a pray without any differenciation of a natural pray from the ocean. Any many of those places of attacks are not famous shark attack locations but remote places in any sea. Sahrks being territorial or not really depends on the type of shark and its habitat. There are open water, oceanic sharks as well as locals that spend all its life in a few square km. There they are very territorial and agressive for food. What happened to Mathieu is terrible. It does not change the fact that he suffered greatly even if he knew the risk. There is no campansation or turning back. God bless him. A tragedy is always a tragedy. There will always be some crazy sharks out there as well as crazy people. And whenever they have interactions, similar things will happen.

          • Michael SChirmer

            Yes, angel I agree.
            There are some agressive sharks out there…

  2. Chris

    Totally agree with Adele…Sharks don’t come over to your house to swim…just respect their world and be aware that you just don’t belong there. If you decide to stay, it is at your own risks! Just because a few people want to practice their favourite sport anywhere doesn’t mean the place has to be cleaned out like the guy stupidly suggests in the video…it’s like going to a war zone and not willing to die! Stupid humans…

  3. shot chris .x
    michael, we dont quite get what you saying? whose side are you on?

  4. Michael is confused, of course sharks have territory, it’s called the ocean…

  5. DIVER SHARK

    un remake des dents de la mer, bien sur à en croire ce superbe champion du monde à la con de surf, d’abord le drapeau rouge, ce n’est que pour les petits baigneurs mais pas pour les champions comme lui, et puis il ne serait pas contre une petite chasse de quelques requins de merde pour qu’il puisse continuer tranquille son passe temps favori.
    pourquoi pas plutôt éliminer ces surfers à la noix et laisser à ces poissons leur liberté dans leur milieu naturel…

  6. The number of fatal attacks has increased in 2011. And the beach season in South Africa and Australia is not at its peak yet. Although we have better first response systems ever, not many people were saved as desired. Surfers are in danger by far than any other group of people. There are multiple reasons for that. For a long time Red Sea, Indonesia and North Russian sea were safe locations. Not any more. In meditterenian sea there are many dangerous locations and it is just a matter of time before somebody gets a fatal wound becasue of the number of people using the coasts and almost no emergency protocols in place for shark attacks.

    Less food for sharks in open waters ? Soundwaves that push them to shores ? Lacking large mamals as prey ? Sea temparature changes ? Less sharks, because of finning, causing larger sharks to come to shore more often? For years I always thought that the real number of accidents reported are far less than what really happens out there. Unless you are in famous shark attack places, most of the attacks does not even have a report. Some countries hide it to protect the tourist business. Or like in Sudan, they just do not give any importance to it. GSAF lists only the reported cases. The real deal can be a few times more than what is listed. Unless we figure out what is wrong, I am afraid we will loose more humans to sharks. Killing is not a solution actually I think it makes things worse. Comparing to 10 years ago the total number of sharks is down by at least %50 (even more) but the number of fatal attacks is more. Not %50 more people are in water. There is something wrong in numbers. We as protectors of all should find solid answers soon.

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