South Africa: Surf-skiers involved in a shark encounter at Robberg

News Release

National Sea Rescue Institute (NSRI)

22. April 2016

—————

Shark encounter

At 08h36, Friday, 22nd April, NSRI Plettenberg Bay duty crew were activated following reports of 5 surf-skiers involved in a shark encounter at Robberg at The Wreck, about 400 meters off-shore of Robberg Beach.

NSRI Plettenberg Bay responded to the scene and the sea rescue craft Airlink Rescuer was launched.

On arrival on the scene 5 men, all locals from Plettenberg Bay, aged in their 50’s and 60’s, reported that while paddling on a regular paddle one of the surf-ski’s had been pushed from behind violently causing the paddler, Dave Manson, to be thrown out of the surf-ski.

Realising that it was a shark that had pushed the surf-ski from behind, and the incident which was witnessed by some of the other paddlers, Dave managed to get back into his surf-ski when the surf-ski started to sink and it was noticed that the back of the surf-ski had been bitten off by the shark.

Dave then abandoned his surf-ski and grabbed one of his fellow paddlers surf-ski’s and held onto the surf-ski while the remaining 4 men paddled ashore. Once safely ashore they raised the alarm. The 5 paddlers, Dave Manson, Douglas Hill, Peter Green, Mike Briereley and Neil Kilpatric are certain that the shark was a White Shark and quite large.  The bite marks will be investigated to determine the shark size. No one was injured in the incident and NSRI recovered the surf-ski from the water and returned the surf-ski to the paddlers.

NSRI are urging the public to be cautious. It is now well known that at this time of the year sharks migrate close in-shore to feed as part of their natural habit and NSRI urge paddlers, surfers and bathers to be cautious and to be aware of this natural phenomenon.

Source: NSRI