What to do if attacked by a shark

HONOLULU (KHON2) — With a recent tiger shark attack at Kewalos, KHON2 spoke to a certified safety diver about what to do when encountering a shark.

Safety diver, Danny Lomas has been diving on shark tours with Hawaii Adventure Diving for four years. He estimates he saw tiger sharks on 60 dives last year, sometimes seeing multiple tiger sharks on one dive.

Lomas said he has never seen tiger sharks being aggressive but said they can sometimes be curious.

Juvenile sharks are especially curious when they are growing and finding bigger prey as they grow, according to Lomas.

When swimming with a mask underwater

Lomas said to keep an eye on any shark you notice to make your presence known and never turn your back to the shark.

If a shark comes near, do not splash or make bubbles, as those actions mimic the actions of an animal in distress.

Swimming away slowly and calmly while keeping an eye on the shark is the best way to avoid an altercation.

If a shark does come within an arm’s length, putting an object like a camera or long fin in between you and the animal is the best way to deter the shark.

When surfing

Mako suggests always moving around because something that is floating in one spot may seem dead.

Be aware of your surroundings because sharks usually attack from behind.

According to Lomas, sharks are less likely to attack when there are groupings of people, so if a shark is spotted, gather near others.

Should you punch a shark

If a shark does come near you, Lomas said to go for its gills, not the eyes. According to him, a shark’s eyes are tough and sharks naturally close their eyes when they bite something.

When sharks attack

Lomas said shark attacks on humans are not common. Tiger sharks are scavengers and eat large dead animals. They hunt alone or sometimes in a small group.

This time of year, sharks can sometimes eat dead whales, still born whales or whales that died of old age. Bigger tiger sharks are territorial and scare away the smaller ones, leading to some juvenile sharks being less selective when choosing something to eat.

Sharks sometimes like to do a test bite, to see if they like what they’re preying upon. Lomas suggests this is what could have happened at Kewalos last week.