By Terri-Liza Fortein
An outdoor enthusiast and a keen sportsman, medical student Henri Murray had a fighting spirit.
Murray, 22, had plans to travel to KwaZulu-Natal to offer his services to those in need and was also a sociable person who decided to study medicine to improve the lives of South Africans.
But when a huge Great White shark attacked him on Saturday while he was spearfishing near Miller's Point, his fighting spirit and a desperate attempt by his diving partner to save his life were not enough.
'He was also very compassionate and really cared about other people' The shark approached Murray once and he managed to fight it off with his speargun.
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The predator came back a second time and again Murray prodded it until it left, but the third time the creature took him in its jaws and disappeared.
Even though his dive buddy, Piet van Niekerk, shot the shark with a speargun, it was too late to save his close friend.
Van Niekerk managed to swim ashore unharmed and called for help to search for his friend.
Murray's flipper, mask and parts of his weight belt have been found by police divers.
'I have not only lost my son but a very good friend' They have also found a speargun and the buoy usually attached to it but there has been no sign of the 22-year-old.
A piece of wet suit containing his car keys in a flap pocket was found on a beach at Fish Hoek on Sunday, about 7km from where the attack took place.
"At this stage he is assumed dead but members of the public should alert authorities if they see anything related to the incident," National Sea Rescue Institute spokesperson Craig Lambinon said on Sunday.
Lambinon said although the search for Murray had been called off, police divers would have a last look around on Monday.
Murray's attack comes only seven months after 77-year-old Tyna Webb was taken by a Great White off Jagger Walk at Fish Hoek.
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