Lifeguard escapes shark attack
2006-07-29 08:14
Cape Town - A Fish Hoek lifeguard escaped unhurt when a shark bit his surf-ski on Friday.
The national sea rescue institute's Simonstown station commander, Darren Zimmerman, said Lyle Maasdorp, 19, was brought to shore by a fellow surf-skier.
Allison Kock of the shark-working group interviewed Lyle and investigated the bite marks on the surf-ski and estimated that the shark was a great white, approximately 3.5m to 4m in length.
The NSRI appealed to members of the public to be aware that the incident had taken place and that bathers, surfers and paddlers in the area should exercise caution.
Said Zimmerman: "According to Lyle he and four fellow surf-skiers, all crew members of Fish Hoek lifesaving club, were paddling past Fish Hoek Point at Sunny Cove after launching from Fish Hoek to paddle to Simonstown about 10 minutes earlier.
"Lyle said he felt the back of his surf-ski lifting out of the water and he heard a crunching sound.
"He fell off his surf-ski and realised it was a shark when his hand landed on the sharks back.
"He stayed with his surf-ski and then abandoned it after a fellow paddler helped him onto the back of his surf-ski and paddled him to rocks where they got out of the water."
- SAPA