A swimmer is missing and feared dead after being mauled by a shark in the sea in a rare attack off the Israeli coast on Monday, with horrified people watching the diver struggling in the water off Hadera
Hadera: Shark was spotted close to shore moments before attack
A diver believed to have been killed by a shark off the coast of Israel was “warned not to go in the water” among the deadly predators – despite having an affinity for the animals. Witnesses described hearing the swimmer’s desperate screams for help as he shouted “they’re biting me” before he started thrashing around and was pulled under the water.
Authorities in Hadera have since conducted a thorough search for the man, who was last seen on Monday, according to emergency services and police, with the beach being closed until further notice. The huge beast was seen casually passing between kids in Hadera, Israel, in the shallow waters as stunned beachgoers watched on.
The frightened children screamed in horror as they watched the huge shark apparently size them up. While some beachgoers appeared to be happy to stay and watch the predators, none of the adults came to the children’s safety.
READ MORE: Hadera shark attack: Missing swimmer screamed four words as he was mauled off beach
But now, the unnamed man’s friend said he had tried to earn off the man from entering the water – despite him bragging he was going to “splash about” with them. “I warned him not to go into the sea, and then I received the bitter news,” his friend told Israeli outlet Ynet, adding that the married father had entered the water to swim with the sharks.
The victim was a 40-year-old married father who was a shark enthusiast, reports JFEED. He was reportedly fishing near the Hedera River after work when he was pulled under the water, but had earlier said he was going to “splash about” with the sharks.
Authorities are currently unwilling to name him, although he is said to be from Petah Tikva, a city east of Tel Aviv. The shark was first seen swimming by beachgoers in the shallow water with some rushing back to shore. Footage taken around the time of the attack showed the swimmer being mauled near the Orot Rabin power station.
The man was later seen thrashing about for a moment before the sea turned a bright red colour, indicating he might have been bitten. The shark also attacked a rescue diver who had been searching for the man. Hadera municipality’s Coastal Department added it had been carrying out searches in a bid to find the swimmer. His belongings were later found on the beach.
Additional footage shared to social media also showed helicopters scanning the water for the missing man. The attack happened at a part of the beach where swimming was reportedly prohibited, according to the Israel Nature and Parks Authority.
The organisation said: “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.”
Shark attacks are relatively rare in Israel with dusky and sandbar sharks being known to be in the region from around November to May and are not known to normally attack humans.
The Nature and Parks Authority repeated its warning on Monday “against interacting with sharks”. It added: “We again call on the public not to approach the sharks, which are protected animals.”
The Society for the Protection of Nature in Israel has reacted to the shark attack by saying it called on the state four years ago to regulate behaviour in waters sharks visit. It said: “Every winter, a unique phenomenon occurs in Israel in which sharks and rays gather at the outlet of the warm waters of the power stations.
“In the case of such a fascinating and public-attracting phenomenon, it would be appropriate to take conservation and safety measures for the public, but over the years, chaos has developed in the area.
“I started recording and saw they were sharks. They got within 164 to 328ft of the shoreline, which caused panic among swimmers. Still, some tried to approach them despite the lifeguard’s clear orders to get out of the water. The sharks moved from south to north, did a sort of ‘dance’, and eventually disappeared.”
A police spokesperson urged people to stay away from the beach, adding: “A short time ago, police officers from the Hadera station were dispatched following a report from citizens who claimed to have seen a shark attacking a diver in the water.
“We will continue to update according to developments. We call on the public travelling in the area to avoid entering the water and coming into contact with the sharks.” Officers confirmed the search for the missing man is still under way.