See full version: The worst shark attack in history
Of those 900, only 321 survived. To this day it is considered to be the worst naval disaster in US history. The fact that the ship was sunk in waters filled with sharks is often perceived as the main reason for such great loss of men. Among those, the Oceanic whitetip sharks were the most numerous. However, most deaths can be contributed to lack of drinking water and food (help arrived on the fourth day) and the exposure to the elements. [links]
On its way to Leyte Gulf, on July 30 1945, 14 minutes past midnight, its starboard bow was struck by two Type 95 torpedoes from the Japanese I-58 type submarine. The Indianapolis took a heavy hit, and settled by the bow. Twelve minutes later, it completely rolled over, then her stern rose into the air, after which it plunged down. Some 300 of the 1,196 crewmen went down with the ship. With few lifeboats and without enough lifejackets, the remainder of the crew (around 900) was set adrift.
After conducting an investigation, the Navy concluded that only about 60 men were the victim of shark attacks. It is presumed that the sharks didn’t bother attacking the survivors, since there were many dead bodies floating about. Dr. Lewis Haynes, the Chief Medical Officer aboard the Indianapolis, reported seeing only one shark himself.
The story of the USS Indianapolis has become legendary with regards to shark attacks, and is known as the worst shark attack in recorded history.
The ship itself was big, measuring 610 feet 3 inches (186.00 m) in length overall, and 592 feet (180 m) long at the waterline, 64 feet 6 inches (19.66 m) abeam, and with a draft of 21 feet (6.4 m). The fact that it could only weigh up to 10,000 tons meant that it had reduced armor protection given its size.
USS Indianapolis was a Portland class heavy cruiser of the United States Navy. It was constructed to comply with the 1922 Washington Naval treaty, which limited the number of battleships constructed by the signatories and the displacement of other ships to 10,000 tons.
The great white shark does outrank all other sharks in the number of shark attacks. As of May 2020, the great white had racked up 326 unprovoked attacks, resulting in 52 fatalities; this far outpaces the runner-up tiger shark (129 unprovoked attacks and 34 deaths) and the third-place bull shark (116 unprovoked attacks and 25 deaths) [source: International Shark Attack File]. here
Are humans especially delicious to great white sharks? Probably not, according to scientists who've studied the stomach contents of these sharks. Humans, because of their muscle content, aren't a very good meal for great whites, who crave fatty blubber. Many shark attack victims live to tell their tale because the shark takes a bite, as if to taste it. While this will be small comfort to anyone ever trapped in the mouth of a shark, it may just be a case of mistaken identity. Think about someone lying on a surfboard, their arms and legs out to the side to paddle and kick. From below, this shape might resemble a seal.
The great white shark has been involved in some of the most chilling attacks on humans. In 1985, Australian Shirley Ann Durdin was torn in two and then devoured by a white shark. Rodney Fox had his lungs and stomach ripped open and required more than 360 stitches in a 1963 attack [source: Rodney Fox]. In 2008, Dave Martin was killed in California when a great white bit off his legs.
There is rarely any warning. The surfer or swimmer is paddling along with no idea what is about to happen. Sometimes their first indication that something is wrong is a look of terror in the eyes of a nearby friend. More often, the first sign is a sudden, massive impact as the oncoming shark propels itself into the victim. Great whites are known to attack sea lions with such force that they leap completely out of the water with the prey held in their jaws. In the book "Shark Attacks," pregnant lifeguard Dawn Schaumann recounts her attack, which happened about 100 yards off the coast of Florida in 1993: "A shark hit me so hard it felt like a huge truck," she said. "My first thought was: my time has come." more
However, shark attack victims don't usually die from sudden traumatic damage. They usually bleed to death. It can take several minutes to get a victim to shore, and even more time for emergency personnel to arrive. The difference between life and death is usually having someone at the scene who knows how to stem the blood loss, and every second counts. In the case of a boy who was attacked in 2005 off Cape San Blas, Florida, a doctor and a nurse vacationing on the beach put pressure on an artery in his leg, which helped him to survive. here
It has been suggested that the greatest danger from sharks occurs in warm tropical seas, [however] there are records of sharks attacking people in the distinctly chilly seas of high latitudes, such as the fisherman at Wick, northernmost Scotland. who was bitten on the arm. - Rodney Steel, "Sharks of the World" [links]
Attacks have also frequently occurred when humans were spear fishing in ocean waters. Sharks are attracted to the signs given off by dying fish -- the smell of blood in the water and the electrical impulses given off as the fish struggles. Sharks detect these signals with their ampullae of Lorenzini, a set of "detectors" under the skin on a shark's snout. The ampullae are electrically sensitive cells that connect to the skin's surface through small tubes. Once a shark arrives on the scene, it may become agitated and aggressive in the presence of so much food. A hungry, excited shark can easily mistake a human for its usual prey.
Rumble — A scary moment is captured as a diver, who was trying to assist a pregnant, Ragga Tooth Shark, gets attacked. Luckily, the diver made a full recovery and is back in the water with no hard feelings towards the shark!
Info From Licensor: "The Shark is a pregnant Ragga Tooth aka(Sand Tiger/Spotted Nurse Shark. The vets were concerned for her health and sent the divers in to secure her to be sonar ed, Things didnt quite go as planned, she had 2 darts (you can see her tail dipping) before they were to secure her and as the dive was guiding her into the sock she suddenly turned and took hold of him. The rest is graphic. next step was to administer an antidote to her and 4 brave divers did that with success.. she is doing well. the diver has had a number of operations and is back at work doing what he does best. and no resentment to sharks.. none of us do.."
Location: Durban, South Africa
Occurrence Date: 2012 more
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