Near-Decapitated Diver Pokes Shark In Eye

Australian Man Escapes With Serious Injuries After Head Was Clamped Between Shark's Jaws

(CBS/AP)  A diver escaped a 10-foot shark's attack by poking the animal in its eye after it had already chomped on his head once and was preparing for another bite, witnesses and officials said Tuesday.

Eric Nerhus, 41, was flown to a hospital with serious injuries to his head, body and left arm after the attack Tuesday off Cape Howe, about 250 miles south of Sydney.

The shark grabbed Nerhus by the head, crushing his face mask and breaking his nose, said Dennis Luobikis, a fellow diver who witnessed the attack.

"He was actually bitten by the head down — the shark swallowed his head," Luobikis said.

The shark, believed to be a great white, came back for a second bite, clenching its jaws around Nerhus' torso and leaving deep lacerations in his side, said Luobikis.

Nerhus wrestled free of the shark's jaws, and later told rescue workers he had poked the shark in the eye, spokeswoman Debbie Lowry of the Snowy Hydro Rescue Helicopter service told local media.

"He was diving so we have to fly low to the ground, and there are mountains on the way to Canberra," Lowry said of the rescue, adding that when you dive, "you have got to a minimum of two hours adjusting ... it's decompression. The oxygen in your lungs need time to readjust or you get the bends."

Nerhus was pulled from the water by his 25-year-old son and rushed to a hospital, suffering blood loss and shock.

"Eric is a tough boy. He's super fit," said Luobikis. "But I would say that would test anyone's resolve, being a fish lunch."

Shark attacks are relatively common in Australian waters, home to some of the world's deadliest sea life. Scientists say there are an average of 15 shark attacks a year in Australia — one of the highest rates in the world — and just over 1 per year are fatal.

[robertjpage]

"When a great white shark attacks its food, it rolls its eyes back into its head so its prey can%u2019t get to them and hurt them. So it was either not a great white, or he did not poke it in the eyes.
Posted by Ryier at 01:46 PM : Jan 23, 2007"
_______________________________________________
My word, Ryier, if the fish had been swallowing you, it would not have been ingesting an inordinate amount of grey matter.

The Great White, [as do some other sharks] roll their eyes back as you stated when attacking, but factually speaking, the eyes still remain in their sockets, and can therefore be poked vigorously by a frantic human finger!

So our plucky mate Eric had the presence of mind to gouge the predator's eye and thus spare himself. Chances are he knew it was a Great White as he was diving in waters particularly noted for them, and apparently got quite a close lookabout.

Celebrate his survival, mate, don't question the veracity of his account based on your quite simplistic assessment and limited knowledge.

[slickwing-2009]

pok'em in the eye,or kick'em in the balls

[ezillyamused]

You go ecuadoriana!!!!

[ryier]

Gah, sorry about three post, IE messed up again.

[ryier]

When a great white shark attacks its food, it rolls its eyes back into its head so its prey can%u2019t get to them and hurt them. So it was either not a great white, or he did not poke it in the eyes.

[ecuadoriana]

izzyd3434 you are right on. There actually is a shark repellent that divers use.

[delaisaac]

I'm surprised that they haven't invented some sort of ultra-high pitched deterrent or something...or a repulsive smell....shark mase?

John
http://www.monomachines.com

[cavecricket-2009]

Definition of Attack: to set upon in a forceful, violent, hostile, or aggressive way, with or without a weapon; begin fighting with: He attacked him with his bare hands.

Nothing in there about intent. Simply the act is an attack, whether maliciously intended or otherwise. Well done to the diver for having the presence of mind to defend himself and escape!

[annd2302]

SHARK:

1. Big Fish
2. They Bite
3. They Hungry
4. They See You
5. They Eat You
6. You Die
7. Makes You Feel Stupid
8. You Feel Nothing, Remember, You Die
8. Bigger Fish

Nothing but "net"
Nothing but evolution

What's the question or for that matter, what%u2019s the problem?

[h0lli]

You've certainly gone off the deep end. Excuse the pun.

[ecuadoriana]

h0lli wrote: "If that was you on a dive..."

First off, I know better than to go diving into places where sharks hang out. I don't stroll down dark alleys where rapists & murderers may be, I don't post vital, personal information on the internet & I don't drink alchohol before driving. I don't run with sissors! There are many ways we try to stay safe- whether it's against the elements (snow tires), or protecting our PIN.

When one steps outside the normal every day activities into areas of potential danger, then one assumes the potential consequences. If you hike a mountain in snow (not because it's your normal work commute, but because "it's there") you may freeze to death. You can't say that the snow "attacked" you! If you dive out a plane for thrill , not because the boss asked you to drop off some files on your way home, it's not the ground's fault if you splatter.

If it's his job to dive, then it's a job related risk. But again, the shark didn't attack.

Sure, if I was ever in a situation of being bitten by a shark, I would make every attempt to save myself, but I wouldn't fault the shark & say it "attacked" me. Truthfully, I'd rather get eaten by a shark than shot by a stray gang bullet. A death by shark would be what the natives called "a good death", meaning an honest death in balance w/nature.

The use of the word "attack" is the perpetuation of living in fear of the earth & nature. It's why people have moved from living with the earth to living against it.

[matt0589]

By extending the logic of your definition, anyone who ventures outside of their home is an idiot. There is a world of experiences out there, and all of them contain some level of risk. And by the looks of it, this guy seemed to handle himself quite well.

[df1973-2009]

Definition of Idiot: Someone who swims in shark infested waters and is not prepared to face the consequences.

Definition of Compassion: the humane quality of understanding the suffering of others and wanting to do something about it

My compassion ends with the warning signs all over the beaches. Then I look to Darwin.

[cantregister]

Yes, but sharks are delicious, especially the pre-slaughtered, plastic-wrap encased type!

Yummy! (Even if I'm not hungry, I always eat pre-slaughtered, (Doesn't that mean they are alive?)animals)

I once had a cow try and attack me when I was slaughtering it! I won, great steaks!

[h0lli]

Nicely said LT1983. Geez People, he just poked the freakin shark in the eye so it wouldn't bite his head off! What's wrong with you? Who cares if they called the attack an attack. That's what it's called when a shark TRIES to eat you! If that was you on a dive, I'm sure you'd think to yourself, "Well, I WAS in the sharks kitchen... I deserve this attack...no, not 'attack'...What's a better word...?"

[lt1983-2009]

Don't get caught up in the verbiage... we call it shark attacks and everyone knows what it means...Why are you people such idiots? Do you have any compassion in your heart?

[bwright923]

one of the definitions of attack according to www.m-w.com:

Attack-to begin to affect or to act on injuriously plants attacked by aphids

I think you could replace plants and aphids with human and shark and it would fit this situation.

[jmann27273]

Well said, ecuadoriana!

[ecuadoriana]

"Shark attacks are relatively common..."

No. It is not an "attack". Humans attack- for a wallet, a car, a rape...

Sharks need to eat. Animals need to eat. Humans need to eat (even when not hungry). Humans go to the supermarket & buy their pre-slaughtered animal encased in plastic wrap. Sharks keep their nose open for something that smells like food coming their way. They hunt. They don't "attack", that is a word more applicable to selfishness, which is a human trait. Animals also act in self defense, or for the protection of their territory or food source, which is not an attack.

Basic rule of thumb: If you swim in the shark's kitchen, you live by the shark's rules. If someone came p!ssing all over YOUR house you'd maybe bite their head off, too!