Knysna body boarder dies in shark attack

July 1999 - he southern Cape town of Knysna has been stunned by the news of a fatal shark attack involving a 14-year-old body boarder at Buffels Bay.

Hercules Pretorius and his friend Zaack Mells, 15, were apparently 50m from shore at 11.15am on Thursday 15 July when Mells saw the shark.

Soon after screaming at his buddy to get out, the shark took his friend from the righthand side, biting into his right side and leg. Mells helped Pretorius to shore, but he died before the ambulance arrived.

According to the South African Press Association (Sapa), witnesses said they heard shouts and saw a boogie-board go up in the air.

Pretorius is survived by his parents and a 17-year-old sister, Luczadah. The attack is the second in a year, after a surfer was attacked at Fish Boma, which is near Buffels Bay on the "wild side" near the mouth of the Gouna River. The beach at Buffels Bay has always been regarded as very safe with the last reported attack occurring about 30 years ago.

It is not known what type of shark was responsible for the attack.

However, Great White sharks (picture of a breaching shark during a seal chase) have been known to cease an attack when they discover the prey is not compatible with their common prey, seals. Sadly, the damage done to the victim during the initial hit is often enough to take their life.

There have been an unacceptable number of attacks over the last two years along the SA coast. Reasons cited include an increase in population of both surfers/bodyboarders and sharks, an El Nino effect that has brought the sharks closer into shore for food and the effects of chumming, when gore is thrown over board boats to attracts specimens for tourists to ogle at.