Teen Dies In South Africa Shark Attack!
Sunday, March 22nd, 2009
According to South Africa’s News24.com, a teenager died at Port St Johns after being bitten on the leg by a shark.
The National Sea Rescue Institute (NSRI) said 16-year-old Luyolo Mangele was attacked by what is believed to have been a Zambezi shark on Saturday afternoon while surfing off Second Beach, Port St Johns.
Apparently, there was a scream and immediately after, a huge red spot appeared around Luyolo’s surfboard.
Luyolo tried to make it back to shore but lost consciousness when he reached shallow water. Attempts to revive him were unsuccessful.
UPDATE: Daily Dispatch Online posted these images of Luyolo that were taken just minutes before he was attacked.
Its pretty sad how many young guys have been killed or attacked just from the little village he grew up in. Hope the city council make a resolution to stop all the crap washing into the sea that certainly has made sharks more interested in this area.
I think that there are a lot of allegations flying around at the moment, and to claify a few points:
Port St Johns does not have waterbourne municipal sewage system, the town operates on septic tanks and conservancies. there is no pipe running out to sea diposing of the sewage like in other places, thus the chances of raw sewage making out of the septic tanks into the sea are minimal. also second beach where the attack took place is 5 kilometers from town. A far more likely reason for the increase in shark attacks may have to do with the local tradition of sangomas performing rituals on the beach; the night before the attack there was a ritual on the beach where animals were slaughtered, this would certainly bring sharks into the area. Its a terrible tragedy, not only for Luyolo’s family but for the community as a whole, who have now lost 3 young lives to sharks attacks in recent years. Lets hope this will prompt officials do undertake an investigation to see what can be done about these terrible events. in the mean time we are looking into purchasing sharksafe pods to fit onto the surfboards.
Tim Whitaker
Iliza surf academy
Sorry for your loss of a member of your academy Tim.
Have the sangoma rituals spiked in recent years? I have only surfed second beach on a few occasions, I was pretty anxious out in the water…but what a beautiful view when you out in the water.
Also have there been many reports from spearfishermen or divers in the areas seeing increased shark activity?
Hope locals and officials take care of this issue before another good life is lost.
meow kittens pancakes and waffles!!
I have read that diving operations which guarantee “close encounter” adventures with sharks are to blame.
http://www.cdnn.info/news/safety/s090323a.html
I surf in US (California) so I am not local there but sorry to see the attacks and for your loss.
Water looks beautiful though. I sure would love to visit someday.
Dustin