A swimmer has been mauled by at least one shark in the Mediterranean Sea, with horrified sunbathers watching the whole event from the shore. The man – believed to be in his 20s – was seen frantically trying to escape the water, before the sea suddenly turned red.
Emergency crews continued searching for the man this morning, although so far their search has proven unfruitful. The horror mauling was the first confirmed shark attack in the area, and therefore left beachgoers absolutely stunned. But, scientists confirmed it wasn’t an accident that sharks were in the area.
Most sharks spotted around Hadera are dusky sharks; which aren’t normally aggressive toward humans.
They’re attracted to the coast because of the warmer water discharged by a nearby power plant.
The factory harnesses the seawater for cooling, and eventually returns it to the ocean about 10C warmer than when it started. It also creates a strong current that spreads the warmer water more than a mile out to sea; attracting any sharks in the area.
Professor Dov Zviely from the Ruppin Academic Center’s School of Marine Sciences said: “The warm water creates a current as strong as the Jordan River.
“The sharks come because of the heat but also because many fish wash down from the Alexander Stream, providing a steady food source.”
Hungry sharks heading into the area would then come face-to-face with human swimmers on the coast, reports ynet. The endless splashing in the water confuses and stresses the sharks, warned marine biologist Dr Adi Barash.
“Heavy human presence stresses the sharks. People must avoid touching or feeding them — they are not pets. This is peak feeding season for the sharks, due to increased fish mortality from warming waters and recent holiday rains.
“Authorities must take steps to prevent harmful interactions and ensure the safety of these protected animals.”
A shark was seen swimming around young kids on Olga Beach shortly before the eventual attack. The swimmer was then filmed being attacked by the Orot Rabin power station.
A shark reportedly lunged at a rescue diver searching for the man, while the Hadera municipality’s Coastal Department said it was carrying out searches by jet ski to locate the swimmer. The man’s belongings were also found on the beach.
The incident took place in an area of the beach where swimming was already prohibited said the Israel Nature and Parks Authority.
It stated: “The Authority reiterates its warning against interacting with sharks and once again calls on the public to avoid approaching them, as they are protected animals.”
Ziv Demeter, of the Magnus search and rescue organisation, told Channel 12 that a body in a diving suit floats to the water’s surface, helping it to be located. But he added: “If he wasn’t in a [diving] suit, this is where the problem starts,” and he pointed out: “The body could be swept away, and locating it could take hours or even days.”
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