Great White Shark Attack

A Briton was last night in a critical condition after losing both his legs in a shark attack.

Witnesses said the man, named as Michael Cohen, had gone swimming despite warnings that a shark was circling close to the beach in Cape Town.

The 43-year-old is said to have swum regularly at Fish Hoek beach, notorious for Great White sightings, even telling fellow beachgoers: "If a shark takes me, then blame me, not the shark."

Witnesses said he parked his car and then walked right past a flag indicating that the beach was closed. At least two people warned him that a shark had been seen, but he strode into the water anyway.

Tracy Sassen, a former South African surfing champion, watched as Mr Cohen was taken by the 10ft Great White only a few yards from the beach.

"I saw two swimmers in the sea, even though the beach was closed," she said.

"I saw a burst of water and thought it was a seal taking a fish or something. Then people started rushing into the sea and pulling this guy out of the water. He was moaning and crying and pleading with them, "Please help me, please help me".

"He was very white and in shock. Half of one leg was missing and the ankle on the other leg was badly bitten."

Monwabisi Sikweyiya, one of the shark-spotters who guards the bay each day, helped drag Mr Cohen from the water and used his own shorts and belt as tourniquets.

He said of the victim: "He was very interested in sharks and respected them, but never took any notice of our warnings.

"We warned him often that he was taking a risk, but he always said 'If a shark takes me, then blame me, not the shark'."

The shark remained in the bay for some time after the attack and the beach will remain closed indefinitely. Sharks have claimed a number of swimmers and surfers there in recent years.

A MAN thought to have been taken by a great white shark yesterday was a water sports enthusiast who loved his morning swim, his family said today.

Bryn Martin, 64, went missing yesterday morning while swimming off Cottesloe Beach, and experts say damage to his recovered bathers are consistent with an attack by a three-metre great white shark.

``Fisheries experts have viewed the bathers and were of the opinion the damage is consistent with that a white pointer shark could cause,'' he said.

Mr Martin was last seen by a friend swimming out past the pylon in front of the Indiana Tea Rooms at about 8am on Monday morning. He was a couple of hundred metres offshore when he disappeared.

FATAL SHARK ATTACKS IN WA

September 4, 2011: Kyle Burden was killed while body boarding with friends at Bunker Bay, near Dunsborough, in Western Australia.

August 2010: Nicholas Edwards, 31, fatally mauled at Gracetown, near Margaret River.

December 2008: Port Kennedy fisherman Brian Guest, 51, taken by a giant white pointer while snorkelling for crabs in about 5m of water near his beachside home.

March 2005: A 6m white pointer killed boat skipper Geoffrey Brazier, 26, while he snorkelled off the Abrolhos Islands.

July 2004: Carpenter Brad Smith, 29, was attacked and killed by two sharks while surfing off Gracetown.

November 2000: Businessman Ken Crew, 48, was killed by a 4m white pointer in waist-deep water at North Cottesloe. In October 1997, Former St Kilda footballer Brian Sierakowski and friend Barney Hanrahan escaped injury when a 5m white pointer attacked their double surf-ski 150m off Cottesloe.

November 1925: Samuel Ettelton, 55, was fatally attacked by a tiger shark while floating on his back at Cottesloe Beach.