A massive great white shark decapitated a diver in what was reportedly the first fatal shark attack of 2023.
Around 11:30 a.m. on January 5, Manuel Lopez went diving in the waters of Tobari Bay, off the coast of Benito Juárez in Sonora, on Mexico’s west coast. Using surface air supplied by hoses from a boat, Lopez dove to depths of up to 59 feet in the water. Lopez was diving for the hatchet gut, a species of mollusk similar to scallops.
A fisherman allegedly witnessed the terrible shark attack.
“He was diving when the animal attacked him, ripping his head off impressively and biting both shoulders,” Jose Bernal told Tracking Sharks, a website that tracks shark attacks around the world for the purpose of of “understanding and sharing information about why shark attacks occur. and to help prevent negative shark encounters in the future.”
Bernal said large sharks had been seen in the area.
“The local divers had been warned of the presence of sharks in the area and most had not been out for several days,” Bernal said.
Shark sightings forced many fishermen and divers to avoid the area, but Lopez, 53, continued to dive despite the risk due to the scarcity of seafood in the area.
This was the first fatal shark attack of 2023, according to Tracking Sharks.
Tracking Sharks noted, “White sharks are most common in the Sea of Cortez, also known as the Gulf of California, during December and January, when pregnant female sharks enter the area. The sharks are often looking for full-fledged sea lions of fat to feed on. because of its high calorie count.”
In February 2022, Víctor Estrella, 56, was killed by a great white shark in the same area. He was diving for scallops when the shark killed him.
In December 2018, Nahum Verdugo Aguilera, 35, was killed in the same area by a shark. The shark ripped off the man’s leg and opened a large gash in his abdomen in the Gulf of California.
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2023 Fatal Shark Attack Great White Shark 🦈youtu.be