Man missing after suspected shark attack in Fish Hoek

12 January 2010 - 19:03 By Staff Reporter
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The Fish Hoek Surf Life Saving Club and law enforcement have launched a search for a man believed to have been attacked by a shark while swimming at Fish Hoek beach which has become notorious for Great White Shark attacks.

According to spokesman for the Western Life Saving Club spokesman, Keith Mathews, a man is believed to have been pulled under by a shark while swimming about 20 metres out to sea. He said the people arround him were not aware of what was happening when he was pulled under.

Lifesavers promptly sounded the siren for swimmers to get out of the water.

False Bay is one of the world's premier breeding grounds for the Great White Shark. Nevertheless the number of attacks on humans is very small and fatalities even rarer. Sadly a veteran swimmer of 17 years Tyna Webb (77) was killed by a Great White on November,15, 2004 while swimming between 60 and 100 m off Sunny Cove to the South of Fish Hoek beach.

According to local authorities the Town has moved swiftly to respond to the attacks by setting up a Sharkwatch group to liase between the Trek Fishermen Fish Spotters up on the mountain, the Surf Rescue and Law Enforcement.

Fishhoek.com reported that on July 28, 2006 a Fish Hoek lifesaver survived a shockingly close encounter with a large shark that attacked his surf ski while he was out paddling in the bay.

Lyle Maasdorp, 19, felt himself and his ski being lifted out of the water and then heard a loud sound like a car smashing against something, before he realised that a shark had taken a large bite out of the rear end of his borrowed surf ski.

Maasdorp and four friends from the Fish Hoek Lifesaving Club were paddling about 20m off Jaeger's Walk, near the point of Fish Hoek Bay about 4.30pm.

According to the local website, sequent to the tragic shark attack in 2004, the town took steps to improve the rapid response in the event of a shark being spotted in the proximity of bathers. They include:



  • The 3 main roleplayers, namely Fish Hoek Surf Life Saving Club, The Law Enforcement officials stationed at Fish Hoek Beach and the Trek Fishermen have formed a partnership in an effort to formalise protocols in the event of a shark sighting.
  • Fish Hoek Surf Lifesaving have utilised their own funds to purchase and supply Law Enforcement and the Trek Fishermen with Marine Band VHF Radio’s operating on the same channel as the Lifesaving Club.
  • Fish Hoek Surf Lifesaving have also paid to upgrade the newly installed 1km range siren to one with a range of 3 kilometres.
  • Fish Hoek Surf Lifesaving will ensure that the Inflatable Rubber Rescue Craft is utilised whenever possible to patrol the bathing areas. This has been found to be a major shark deterrent.
  • Bathing areas will now be demarcated on Fish Hoek Beach by means of marker buoys which have been sponsored by SMIT MARINE S.AFRICA and will be laid courtesy of the South African Navy. Clovelly beach will have a demarcated bathing area indicated by flags placed in position by Fish Hoek Lifeguards on duty.
  • During the December/January Holiday peak season the waters will be scanned regularly by the various rescue service Helicopters.
  • Fish Hoek Surf Lifesaving is fully equipped with all medical equipment necessary for major trauma and work in close liason with Cape Medical Response who are never more than a couple of minutes away.
  • Steps are being taken to employ a trek fisherman spotter on a permanent basis from 07h00 to 19h00 throughout the peak season at times when the Trek Fishermen are not spotting for fish. This will be subject to sponsorship being found.
  • Until the 3.12.04 Lifeguards will be on duty at weekends only from 09h00 – 18h00. Law Enforcement are on duty daily from 07h00 – 19h00.

According to Fish Hoek Surf Lifesaving Club chairman, Martin Williams, on the sighting of a shark the Trek Fishermen spotters based on Elsies Peak will immediately radio the Fish Hoek Surf Lifeguards and the transmission will be received simultaneously by the Law Enforcement officials.

The siren will immediately be activated, the rubber rescue craft launched if not already in the water and the lifeguards will clear all recreational water users from the sea. This should not take longer than 2 minutes. The Shark flag will be raised and will remain until such time as the all clear is given.

We wish to remind the public that our approximately 90 Lifeguards, most of whom are still at school or University are highly skilled , motivated and dedicated and give up much of their free time to render a very valuble service to the Community. We all remain absolutely committed to keeping the beaches as safe as is possible.

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