There have been only a few dozen shark bite incidents recorded in UK waters since records began in 1847, with most of them involving fishermen handling the animals. Incredibly, Mr Berrymans injuries are only the fourth recorded incident involving a porbeagle injuring a human anywhere in the world. 'These sort of trips have to be handled both sensitively for the shark and also safely for those who are taking part. Babies: 4-135 pups a year (35 on average). The snorkeler - who was bitten while taking part in a 'snorkel with sharks' experience with Blue Shark Snorkel Trips - has stressed that they do not want this "very scary incident" to alter people's perception of blue sharks. Prefers temperatures of 12-20C but can tolerate 830C. The unlucky adventurer had been swimming some 15 miles out to sea during the 180 per person excursion when the shark, unprovoked, suddenly bit her leg. We also may change the frequency you receive our emails from us in order to keep you up to date and give you the best relevant information possible. It caused deep puncture wounds and Stephen lost so much blood that an RAF Sea King helicopter was scrambled to collect him off the Devon coastline. Email alice.fuller@the-sun.co.uk or call 020 7782 4100. A Cornish tour agency that arranges snorkel trips to watch blue sharks confirmed a participant had received first aid after an "incident.". An coastguard spokesperson said: 'HM Coastguard sent Penzance Coastguard Rescue Team to meet a snorkeler who suffered a suspected shark bite. "The coastguard team met the casualty at Penzance harbour to assist with passing them into the care of the ambulance service.". The sighting comes after officials in Australia were mocked for calling shark attacks either interactions or negative encounters so the animals could be more understood. Blue Shark Snorkel Trips, the company that organised the tour, said such incidents were extremely rare and they were in continued talks with shark experts as to what had happened. However, the person added, "I don't for a second want this freak event to tarnish the reputation of an already persecuted species.". In 1998 basking sharks were given protected status, meaning they cannot be disturbed in British waters. First published on August 2, 2022 / 2:30 PM. At times the crew had to follow after the shark with their boat, which threatened to break the line. I had just finished unhooking a bass I had caught on a nearby patch of reef when I noticed a large dorsal fin approaching the vessel at a fair pace. ", Read more: Greenland shark found in Cornwall could be 500 years old. Countries; United Kingdom; Cornwall Shark attack data for Cornwall, United Kingdom. "The coastguard team met the casualty at Penzance harbour to assist with passing them into the care of the ambulance service.". The Sun website is regulated by the Independent Press Standards Organisation (IPSO), Our journalists strive for accuracy but on occasion we make mistakes. In a statement issued following the incident, they said: "I just wanted to say that, despite how the trip ended, it was amazing to see such majestic creatures in the wild and I dont for a second want this freak event to tarnish the reputation of an already persecuted species.". In a statement put out by the trip company on Tuesday afternoon, the bite victim said: 'What was a very scary incident was made so much easier by the kindness and calmness of the people around me. The woman is understood to have been in the water near the harbour in Penzance when the beast allegedly struck on July 28. Mr Venn then sent his snaps to experienced shark fisherman Graeme Pullen, 70, who claimed it was "obviously a shark". A snorkeler off the coast of southern England has suffered a suspected shark bite, officials said on Tuesday, in what appears to be an extremely rare incident. ", READ MORE: Swimmer bitten by shark off Cornwall says it was 'very scary', The marine biologist went on to explain that attacks are rare because, as happened in this incident, blue sharks have to be attracted to people using bait: "You have to go a long way off shore and you have to create a very long oil slick of sardine blood and juice, and eventually the sharks will follow that to you. Just a month before that a 400lb porbeagle was reeled in by Ian Tyldesley and Sam Narbett, who were fishing about 10 miles off from St Ives. They are also the most heavily fished shark on the planet and are eaten for their meat across the world. The woman is understood to have been in the water near the harbour in Penzance when the beast allegedly struck on July 28. 'The blood in the water would have stimulated the sharks senses and they would approach initially looking for dinner. ', Trip organiser Victoria Walker (pictured), who runs Blue Shark Snorkel from Penzance harbour, told the Daily Mail last night: 'We immediately enacted our emergency response plan, with first aid being carried out on the person involved.'. In August 2012 a beach in Ceredigion, Wales, was closed to bathers due to the presence of a blue shark. Or by navigating to the user icon in the top right. The beach you WON'T be able to go to this summer: Why a Farm Heroes Saga, the #4 Game on iTunes. 'Following advice and assessment from the coastguard, the person walked off the boat and received further treatment ashore. He said: 'It was a really memorable encounter.'. And there is always a scare story that a great white has turned to Britain for its hunting ground. Mr Slater shares this view, arguing that despite this incident, there isn't "any reason for anybody to think that this is any more dangerous an activity than it ever has been". My initial reaction was of disbelief as nothing like this has ever happened to me in my time at sea. DeSantis won't say he's running. 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Discover Cornwall will help you find out about the county regardless of whether you're a local or a visitor. The encounter happened about a mile north of Trevose Head lighthouse in Padstow, Cornwall on Sunday. Huge 'shark' fin is spotted off the coast of Cornwall sparking concern from beachgoers. It stuck around for about an hour, before being scared off by a pod of 80 dolphins. This was the fish of a lifetime. Cornwall athlete wins Commonwealth silver despite almost severing her finger, Rishi Sunak pledges extra council tax on second homes and help to level up Cornwall. The snaggle-toothed remains were discovered by a stunned family on the beach at Hope Cove, just east of Plymouth. She was brought back to shore where she received medical attention from paramedics. 1. ", Did you see what happened or do you know who was involved? For further details of our complaints policy and to make a complaint please click this link: thesun.co.uk/editorial-complaints/, A huge shark has been spotted off the coast of Cornwall, The 6ft long beast circled the small fishing boat owned by Oban Jones, 21, The boat was just a mile north of Trevose Head lighthouse in Padstow, Cornwall on Sunday, Oban was able to get back to shore to safety, Oban started fishing when he was just four-years-old, Jackass crew member 'Poopies' relives moment he was bitten by shark, Independent Press Standards Organisation (IPSO). The coastguard team met the casualty at Penzance harbour to assist with passing them into the care of the ambulance service. The female swimmer is said to have been on a snorkelling trip to see blue sharks in Penzance harbour. International Shark File records there as having only ever been two Porbeagle attacks on humans, both non-fatal and non provoked. As always you can unsubscribe at any time. The U.S. once again reported the most attacks and Florida accounted for nearly 40% of unprovoked bites worldwide. They are often present in UK waters during the summer, and a blue shark sighting in Ceredigion, Wales, in 2012 saw the New Quay beach closed to visitors for several hours. ", Ultimately, despite their normally calm nature, blue sharks must be respected as "incredible predators," he warns, "when we (humans) go into their habitat, we shouldn't really be surprised occasionally if there are things like this. Video, At the crash site of 'no hope' - BBC reporter in Greece, Record numbers of guide dog volunteers after BBC story. The person involved, whose name has not been disclosed, was reportedly Blue shark attacks on humans are extremely rare, according to the British Sea Fishing website. Simon Nellist was a diving instructor and a regular swimmer at the beach where he died, At the crash site of 'no hope' - BBC reporter in Greece. We all take these risks when we enter the habitat of a predator and we can never completely predict the reactions of a wild animal.. "Simon was a gentle, kind and wonderful human being. Speaking to BBC Radio Cornwall earlier today (August 3), Marine officer Matt Slater said the attack was unusual as people are highly unlikely to "encounter a blue shark just by accident around the Cornish coast". Mr Pullen, who has been catching sharks for 45-years even suggested the fin could belong to a "small, immature great white" that came close to the shore to feed on seals and bass. The company did not respond to numerous phonecalls or messages and simply posted the information on its Facebook page. He was a cherished fiance, son, brother, uncle and friend," they said. Some species are common in British waters year-round, such as small-spotted sharks, catshark, porbeagle and basking sharks. Blue sharks visit the UK during the summer months from the Caribbean and mainly feed on small fish and squid, though they have been known to attack seabirds There has never been single confirmed sighting of a great white off Britain. "Simon was funny, compassionate and always had time for people. 'Later in the same month another beach in West Dorset had to be closed for an hour and a half due to another blue shark.'. Blue Shark Snorkel Trips said in a statement: 'We want to make everyone aware that we have had an incident. The coastguard was notified just before 12.30pm on Thursday (July 28). A light swell was rolling in from the Atlantic. Unprovoked (total) Non-fatal and unprovoked: Fatal and unprovoked: Provoked/invalid/sea disaster/boating counts. It is believed that the - harmless - invasion is a result of the reduced marine traffic due to the Covid lockdowns. Copyright 2023 CBS Interactive Inc. All rights reserved. "We immediately enacted our emergency response plan, with first aid being carried out on the person involved. Pictured: Blue shark stock image. This means that we may include adverts from us and third parties based on our knowledge of you. "At the time I thought it was a seal but, when I looked at the photos again, I thought it doesn't look like a seal.". To see all content on The Sun, please use the Site Map. Trip organiser Victoria Walker, who runs Blue Shark Snorkel from Penzance harbour, told the Daily Mail last night:'We immediately enacted our emergency response plan, with first aid being carried out on the person involved. Alone at sea, the 21-year-old filmed the incredible encounter as the 6ft Porbeagle shark zipped around his boat. VideoRecord numbers of guide dog volunteers after BBC story. Several species visit the Cornish waters every year, including blue sharks, porbeagle sharks and basking sharks - who do not tend to attack humans - but shark attacks remain rare, especially in the UK. Local media suggests she had been out on a blue shark sightseeing trip at the time. Martin Yelland, 38, was diving just off the coast of Penzance when the blue shark swam straight towards him. June 2017:Rich Thomson, 30, was swimming off the coast of Devon when he was bitten on the thumb by what was believed at the time to have been a three-foot smooth hound shark. The species - spotted swimming in a marina yards from a busy a tourist spot - is a shallow water variety rarely spotted in the UK. 1937: In the morning of September 1 off the Kintyre peninsula in Scotland, steamship captain Angus Brown took members of his family on a pleasure trip on his dinghy. For other inquiries, Contact Us. "I wanted to thank everyone for their amazing actions. 'The coastguard was notified just before 12.30pm on Thursday (July 28). I was experiencing a mixture of excitement and adrenaline. Now I want to save the species, NSWshark nets caught 325 non-target animals last season, report shows, Summer of shark: spate of encounters leaves New York beachgoers wary, Whale sharks are worlds biggest omnivores, study finds, Were going to need a bigger boat: the rise of the megashark, Calls grow to remove Queenslands outdated shark nets after another whale gets entangled. In the clip, he says: Well, I dont know what to say right now, but that right there is a big shark and Im in a very, very small boat. 'Following advice and assessment from the coastguard, the person walked off the boat and received further treatment ashore.'. A spokesperson for the Maritime and Coastguard Agency said: "HM Coastguard sent Penzance Coastguard Rescue Team to meet a snorkeller who suffered a suspected shark bite. Mr Pullen, who has been catching sharks for 45-years even suggested the fin could belong to a "small, immature great white" that came close to the shore to feed on seals and bass. Despite this, the windsufer sustained no injures and shark bites tend to only happen when provoked during fishing or other activities. We use your sign-up to provide content in the ways you've consented to and improve our understanding of you. Shark fans have fearlessly taken to the sea again to go snorkelling despite a woman being hurt last week in the first shark attack of its kind in 175 years. In April, a suspected basking shark was captured on video Mr Nellist's family said he was a "proud Cornishman" who had made Australia his home with his fiance Jessie. They are one of a range of species of sharks which lurk off the coast of the UK, including porbeagle, gulper and kitefin sharks - however attacks are rare. While you do not need to have a diving qualification, some previous experience with snorkelling is required. There are four confirmed cases of fatal blue shark attacks on humans and 25 confirmed non-fatal attacks, the website says. 'As we know, these things can happen when we choose to interact with wild animals in their own environment. And just this last week, fisherman Max Berryman, from Penzance, suffered some of the worst injuries from a shark, whose razor-sharp teeth ripped open his leg. The company, Blue Shark Snorkel Trips, said: "We want to make everyone aware that we have had an incident. The swimmer suffered a leg injury and was left in the care of paramedics. But just how dangerous are sharks off our beautiful beaches and which sharks call Cornwall home? The sharks, which are considered to be vulnerable to extinction, have reportedly only bitten swimmers or boats on a handful of occasions. "Thank you to the trip team for getting me back to shore quickly and carefully and making me feel as safe as I possible could. "The last thing we want is to let speculation drive the media into a world of bad press for the sharks, under no fault of their own.". Habitat: Often found in the open ocean from the surface to depths of 600m. 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She suffered a leg injury and was treated by medics at the scene at around 12.30pm. Read about our approach to external linking. "The last thing we want is to let speculation drive the media into a world of bad press for the shark, under no fault of their own. Or by navigating to the user icon in the top right. "It is believed the swimmer suffered a leg injury. Now the unnamed person has spoken out about the attack via the shark exploration company. According to the conservation society the Shark Trust there are actually more than 40 different species of shark which pass through UK waters. Fisherman Max Berryman holding a small porbeagle shark - the same type of shark which bit his leg and left him needing a helicopter rescue by HM Coastguard, The porbeagle shark after it was pulled onto the boat, This blue shark was washed up on the beach at Hayle, The body of a toothy crocodile shark, washed up on a Cornish beach, Jay Oxenham with the porbeagle shark he caught off Falmouth, The porbeagle shark hooked by Jay Oxenham off Falmouth, The porbeagle shark caught by Ian Tyldesley and Sam Narbett off St Ives, A giant basking shark, the world's second largest fish, This picture of a great white shark captures the raw power of these top predators. The presence of a blue shark attacks on humans, both non-fatal and unprovoked: Provoked/invalid/sea disaster/boating counts sharks. Said in a statement: 'We want to make everyone aware that we had. Bites tend to only happen when we choose to interact with wild animals in own! 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