Red Sea Shark Attacks: Killing Spree Baffles Scientists

TIME:

Hoping to protect the local tourism industry over July 4, the beach resort's mayor initially downplays the danger of shark attacks - but is forced to bring in a marine biologist and a shark hunter when things turn really ugly. That was the story line in Jaws, Steven Spielberg's 1975 blockbuster movie, and a similar scenario is currently being played out in real life at the Egyptian Red Sea resort of Sharm el-Sheikh.

Read the whole story: TIME

Comments

[Go2Renz]

03:55 PM on 12/12/2010

It is Sarah Palins fault, the sharks heard about what she did to that poor fish!

[blaster8]

02:23 PM on 12/12/2010

"Alleged Israeli plots"?? How paranoid and uneducated are these people?! I mean really!!

[youvebinfarteen]

01:01 PM on 12/12/2010

Try being friendly to the shark, they just want to make you their chum.

[ScreenName05]

12:35 PM on 12/12/2010

"Martin, it's all psychological. You yell barracuda, everybody says, "Huh? What?" You yell shark, we've got a panic on our hands on the Fourth of July."

"I'm pleased and happy to repeat the news that we have, in fact, caught and killed a large predator that supposedly injured some bathers. But, as you see, it's a beautiful day, the beaches are open and people are having a wonderful time. "

Jaws (1975)

Politicians, worldwide, seem to be able to put their feet further down their throats than any other living creature.

[Jim Shaffer]

12:29 PM on 12/12/2010

White-tip's a predator of the reefs, like many other sharks. The reefs have been bleaching, when a reef dies it takes a big part of the ecosystem with it, including the prey these predators need to survive. It looks like they've found an alternative food supply.

[tnkeating]

12:12 PM on 12/12/2010

Scientist are baffled? Seems like a no brainer, when you depleet the seas of fish for bigger fish to eat they are going to eat whats available.

[ABXNOMORE]

12:07 PM on 12/12/2010

Yahweh is angry with the behavior of his people. He wants peace in the region of the Israelites and wants to see them treat all peoples in the region with dignity. .

[jws2346]

11:58 AM on 12/12/2010

I know this may be a really stoopid question, but couldn't they put out those shark net things like I've heard they have in Australia?

[citizen1787]

11:43 AM on 12/12/2010

My guess is that someone who does not like tourists in bikinis is chumming the water.

or it might have something to do with a lack of other food for the sharks due to overfishing.

[naughtYmike]

11:40 AM on 12/12/2010

Where is it written that sharks cannot eat people?

[jws2346]

12:01 PM on 12/12/2010

faved LOL I doon't think it's written that sharks can't eat people, I just think it ain't such a good ideer. A good ideer on the victims part or the victees part?

[MIKEinNYC]

11:20 AM on 12/12/2010

It's Shiite terrorist sharks!

[earto44]

11:16 AM on 12/12/2010

Here is the correct title for this : Red Sea Sharks eat humans due to lack of Tuna.

[cdecisneros]

11:07 AM on 12/12/2010

Revenge?

[DFL]

11:01 AM on 12/12/2010

Why would anyone want to swim there? I haven't been in a ocean beach once since seeing the movie jaws, I drove from Sidney Austrailia to Perth and back and no way did I swim down there with those great whites in the water! and if you visit there it's great doing it in December, you not only get hot summer temps. but it's interesting getting back to the long days again like what we have here in June!

[The Dude67]

11:55 AM on 12/12/2010

In 2000 there were 11 deaths by shark.  According to wikipedia, there have been a total of 434 shark deaths since the year 1580 or about 1 per year (of course this is just what was reported). 

In a typical year, just in the U.S., about 43,000 people are killed in traffic accidents.  In fact, you're likely to know at least one person who died in a car wreck.

So the treat of shark attack is approaching zero - in this way it is exactly like the threat from terrorism. :  )

[cybersense]

11:59 AM on 12/12/2010

Dude, not saying your info isn't good - but a lot of people shouldn't use wikipedia for all of their info - unless they check that source. As for the sharks and how often they kill? If there had been recent attacks in the water where you want to swim, I would say - don't go in. It is kind of like saying "hey - don't drink and drive".

[Acert]

03:21 PM on 12/12/2010

There have been a lot more than 434 shark deaths since 1580; it's just that in most cases it was humans killing sharks, not the other way around.

[kiddub]

10:25 AM on 12/12/2010

We are now the fat Harbour and Elephant seals that we hunted into almost extinction. Not that there were Elephant Seals in the Red Sea, but my point stands.