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Breaking: Fatal Shark Attack in San Diego

5ones.com — Breaking: We have just received word that there has been a fatal shark attack in Fletcher Cove near Solana Beach, Ca. Apparently the man bled to death after the shark bit both legs below the knee, severing one of his legs.

Bury

mindstyle1 91 days ago

66 diggs
digg it

silkysilt, on 04/25/2008, -2/+1ouch!
ramreezy, on 04/25/2008, -2/+2OMG! everybody freak out, fuel up the boat, and lets go shark killing!!!

Digging only so peeps realize this is hype against a misunderstood creature who just happens to be at the top of the food chain.
- EatingPie, on 04/25/2008, -2/+1And you do not know what the hell you're talking about.
  
  This "misunderstood" creature bit the guys legs off. It was also an unprovoked attack -- which basically ALL shark attacks are. There's basically nothing you can do when a shark attacks you, especially if you're a swimmer. What part about sharks am I "misunderstanding" here?
  
  -Pie
  - rdrysdale, on 04/25/2008, -0/+3I get the misunderstood part. It's a shark... it eats things and surfers look like yummy seals. When you choose to paddle out in shark territory you run a certain risk and all I think ramreezy is saying is that you can't fault the shark for acting like a shark. It's a terrible story and I'd be angry if my husband or father had been the one killed, but I'd also know they accepted the risk with the reward and I wouldn't want anyone to go on a shark killing spree to make up for their loss.
  - EatingPie, on 04/25/2008, -0/+2If there's anything that's misunderstood, it's ramreezy's view of response.
    
    The Great White is an endangered species and protected in the state of California. Authorities will not kill this shark even if they can find it (a practical impossibility, given that visibility in Solana Beach is 5-10'). The only thing they will do is monitor it's position, and keep the beaches closed if it's known to remain in the area. Currently, the beaches (technically the ocean) is closed for 72 hours.
    
    I guess I am tired of people calling sharks "misunderstood" when they themselves have no idea what shark attack and responses are actually like.
    
    -Pie
    - rdrysdale, on 04/25/2008, -0/+1Regardless of the legal responses you can't tell me that there isn't some agro person with a boat thinking about how they're going to catch them thar shark that done ate a man. Maybe I'm jaded because I live in the South and we have way more rednecks that wouldn't think twice about taking the law into their own hands. California is obviously more liberal.
sludgepickle, on 04/25/2008, -0/+3In related news - a surfer pulled a 1-meter baby great white from knee-deep water last week at a nearby beach. Not sure why they are coming so close to shore in San Diego. .
- EatingPie, on 04/25/2008, -0/+1According to the Professor from Scripps Institute of Oceanography, that is too small for a Great White. So he said there's no way that's what kind of shark baby was.
  
  -Pie
EatingPie, on 04/25/2008, -0/+6This is occurred at my local surf spot, though I wasn't out this morning.

This actually occurred in Solana Beach, closest to a spot called Tabletops. The main lifeguard station is at Fletcher Cover, where the swimmers entered the water. They tried to resuscitate the man there, but failed. Reports have it as both surfers and swimmers pulling him from the water. I believe it was actually some of the group he was swimming with that pulled him in. Very brave souls indeed.

The ocean water in Solana Beach has generally a 5-10' visibility, meaning there is basically no way in hell they're going to find the shark from an air search.

This is the first fatal shark attack in the San Diego region in 50 years, and about as close to home for me as it gets. Very scary. Very sad.

-Pie
- EatingPie, on 04/25/2008, -0/+4Just an update...
  
  A Professor from Scripps Institute of Oceanography examined the wounds, and based on the attack "style," he says it was likely a Great White. Probably a female, since they sometimes come to the area to give birth. The Coast Guard is conducting an air search for the shark, but only to monitor its position, not to kill it. The ocean is closed for 72 hours along a 7 mile stretch. Surfers outside of the city of Solana Beach, where the attack occurred, will most likely ignore this over the weekend and still enter the water if the waves are good.
  
  It was the swimmers that pulled the man from the water. And they tried to resuscitate him at Tabletops, but declared him dead there.
  
  -Pie
- mindstyle1, on 04/25/2008, -0/+1Thanks for the update - Even if they find the shark there is no way they'll know for sure it was the one that attacked. Generally they find that sharks don't stick around areas very long, especially in cases like this. It could be half way out to sea by now. I also live pretty close to this break and there were still a few surfers out in encinitas/carlsbad area today. me being one of them.
97thfloor, on 04/26/2008, -0/+2I heard all the beaches down there are closed right now, this was like 2 breaks from my favorite spot growing up down there.
lunawebs, on 04/26/2008, -0/+0I've heard the chance of getting attacked by a shark is similar to getting struck by lightening 4 times in a row. Yes even more rare then getting struck by lightening. Sharks swim around looking for food. I feel sorry for the guy, but great whites have to eat too. I don't think fearing the ocean and closing beaches is the answer. It really is pretty rare. That's why it's all over CNN. There are more murders in the US in major cities - but the media has stopped focusing on that stuff so much because it's so common. They have to focus on the stuff that is rarely seen. The shark was probably ticked he didn't get fresh seal. I would be.
hope4god, on 04/26/2008, -1/+0Hi Holly I would like to be added to your shout outs to hear what you have to say? would that be ok? Thank you for the consideration and have a nice rest of your weekend.
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Breaking: Fatal Shark Attack in San Diego

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