Staff Writer
TWO UCT students are still recovering from their injuries after they were both attacked by sharks along the Southern Cape coast in the space of 24 hours.
Dylan Reddering, 23, was bitten by a shark while surfing in Plettenberg Bay on Friday.
He survived the attack, but suffered lacerations and bite marks to his ribs, buttocks and right leg.
On Saturday, Caleb Swanepoel, 19, from Prince Albert was out boogie-boarding at Buffels Bay near Knysna when a shark attacked him. Swanepoel lost his right leg and had bite marks on his left leg.
Both Reddering and Swanepoel are students at UCT.
NSRI spokesperson Craig Lambinon said Swanepoel was in a critical but stable condition in Mediclinic George, while Reddering had been stabilised at Mediclinic Plettenberg Bay before being transferred to a private hospital in Knysna for further treatment.
“NSRI and the emergency services are continuing to convey our ongoing support and encouragement to Caleb and his family,” Lambinon said yesterday.
Lambinon said while the bite marks would be examined to determine what species of shark was involved, it was suspected that it was a Great White.
Shark scientist Alison Kock, research manager for the City of Cape Town’s Shark Spotters, said with the start of the sardine run this month, shoals of sardines and other bait fish were migrating from South Africa’s southern coast and travelling north-east into the sub-tropical coastal waters.
These smaller fish attracted larger fish and seals.
“Sharks go where the food is,” Kock said.
Great Whites could swim in waters as shallow as 2m and would come as close as 50m to the shore.
“It is highly unusual that two people would get attacked by sharks in a short space of time. The public must please heed the warning signs at beaches,” Kock said.