Fishermen on Mexico’s western coast were warned that the waters where they fished were infested with sharks, and at the expense of their livelihood, they had been staying out of the waters for several days.
One diver decided to take his chances.
Fisherman Manual Lopez, 50, was attacked by a great white shark while several horrified witnesses watched. It was the first shark attack of 2023. Lopez was scuba diving, like it was his custom to do, for ax tripe, a type of mollusk, near the San Jose Beach in Tobari Bay, on Mexico’s western coast when he was decapitated by a shark 19 feet long.
The man’s head and shoulders were ripped off his body and he died instantly.
Another fisherman Jose Bernal, witnessed the incident and told local news media that he saw Lopez dive into the sea when the shark suddenly attacked him.
Bernal said Lopez was diving without an oxygen tank even though mollusks typically swim between 36 to 59 feet below.
In spite of the warnings about the shark sightings, Lopez had decided to make the trip to the bottom of the ocean. The anglers weren’t making any money because they were avoiding the waters, causing a shortage of mollusks. It was a decision that would be Lopez’ last.
A similar incident occurred in February 2022, when a fisherman, Victor Estrella, 56, was attacked by a 13-foot white shark while fishing for scallops in Yavaros, Sonora in Mexico. It bit off his leg and he did not survive.
Great white sharks can grow to about 20 feet long and have over 200 sharp serrated teeth. They swim at speeds of up to 35 mph. Normally, they prey on seals, dolphins, and sea lions but sometimes attack humans.
Most of the attacks in the Gulf of California occur in December and January when pregnant females visit the area. Shark attacks are rare and fatalities are even rarer, but incidents of shark attacks are shocking and frightening to the public.
