Man Tempts Fate By Jumping On A Tiger Shark
An Australian boater tempted fate when he accepted a dare from his friends, jumping into the water and landing directly on top of a tiger shark that was investigating their vessel.
The incident took place on what appears to be a commercial boat in Australia, according to Shark Attack News. Video of the encounter depicts a group of boaters who spotted a tiger shark approaching them. One of the men tells his friend, Brett, to catch the shark. When Brett responds questioningly, the other man ups the ante.
“I dare you to jump on this tiger shark,” he says.
The prodding continues, as the man observes that the tiger shark is small. Though Brett responds by noting that the shark is a man-eater, he nevertheless accepts the challenge. Thirty seconds after the video begins, he dives off the side of the boat, landing on top of the tiger shark and seemingly catching it unaware.
(Warning: Adult Language)
Brett immediately swims back to the boat and attempts to pull himself aboard, appearing panicked to be in the water with a startled tiger shark. The video ends with the sound of laughter from all involved, as it appears both Brett and the tiger shark were unharmed by the stunt.
Tiger Shark vs Go Pro | Mild Shark Attack – http://t.co/ywI74xXtut pic.twitter.com/L5MjknmCiy
— Thunder Bay Live (@ThunderBayLive) November 5, 2014
Tiger sharks are indeed dangerous to humans, as ABC News notes. Last week, a surfer in Hawaii was struck by a 12 to 15-foot-long tiger shark as she paddled off Keawaeli Bay. Attached to her surfboard by a leash, McKenzie Clark found herself at the shark’s mercy when it began to drag her board out to sea. A friend who was surfing with her came to her aid, attacking the shark and punching it, forcing the predator to release her surfboard. Clark’s left hand was injured in the incident, requiring 20 stitches and a skin graft.
Man fistfights tiger shark in Hawaii to save fellow surfer via /r/news http://t.co/TRjQjh6avQ pic.twitter.com/8FDa59WhWt
— bonnie (@boniemylurv) November 2, 2014
The attack marked the fourth example of tiger shark predation in Hawaii over the course of a week and a half. As the Inquisitr noted, two paddleboarders and a surfer were attacked by tiger sharks in separate incidents the week before Clark’s experience. The passing of Hurricane Ana had churned up the waters around the island chain, leaving them muddied. Conditions such as those are a known risk factor for ambush-style attacks, like those commonly attributed to tiger sharks.
[Image via Shark Attack News]
