The Plettenburg Bay craftsman who died after being attacked by a shark while surfing, was “a person who was loved”, say his friends.
Tim van Heerden was attacked while surfing with friends at the mouth of the Keurbooms River at Lookout Beach in the popular holiday town at about 9am on Tuesday.
The National Sea Rescue Institute said he had died two hours later in hospital, having being bitten on the thigh and in the groin.
Van Heerden’s friend of 25 years, Sue van der Gaast, said:
“He was a person who was loved. He loved all his friends, family and his son.
“We have lost a really, really good friend.”
Van der Gaast said Van Heerden had lived around Plett and Knysna for more than 20 years.
“He was famous for making ‘Red Indian’ leather moccasin shoes, the real McCoy – we used to call him ‘Tim Boots’,” she said.
The type of shark involved in the attack has not been officially confirmed, but witness reports suggest that the animal was a 2m-long great white.
Witness Charles Reitz said that soon after the attack, and before news of Van Heerden’s attack reached those on the beach, he had dragged Van Heerden out of the water.
“I was watching the waves. He was in the shallows when I saw the shark take him,” Reitz told ZigZag surfing magazine, which published the interview on its website on Tuesday.
“I paddled out… and grabbed him. Paddled him back and dragged him on to the rocks with (some) help. It was quite difficult, as he was weak and he couldn’t do anything.”
According to the International Shark Attack File, which is based at the University of Florida, six fatalities as a result of an unprovoked shark attack were recorded around the world last year.
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