Another Bad Accident Waiting to Happen?: Undercurrent 07/2024

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Shark dives involving baiting or feeding are popular revenue sources for dive operations in many parts of the world, but they are not without incident.

In recent years, diving with tiger sharks has become popular at the Maldivian island of Fuvahmulah, in Nyaviyani Atoll, but alarm bells have started to ring as some fear an accident is about to happen. After all, shark feeding has had its victims elsewhere.

Fiji, French Polynesia, the Bahamas

Stuart Cove's operation in New Providence, the Bahamas, has an enviable track record for safety with a feed that attracts dozens of Caribbean reef sharks; the feeder dresses in a helmet and chainmail suit. However, a shark once caught its teeth in the metal sleeve and, in a struggle to get free, broke bones in the man's hand, arm, and shoulder. No longer a shark feeder, the man now runs a website called bittenbysharks.com.

Before Stuart required helmets for shark feeders, a shark bit Michelle Cove on her head. The injury was so bad the dive boat captain fainted when he saw her climb aboard....

Local young men are tempted to display bravado with the sharks and attempt to outdo each other in acts of daring

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