Topics: Israel, News, World News, Shark
Warning: This article contains graphic commentary of the shark attack which some readers may find distressing
The last words of a man who was attacked and killed by a shark in Northern Israel has been revealed.
The horrific incident happened on Hadera beach on Monday (April 21) as many in that part of Israel were enjoying the 27°C temperatures.
Onlookers spotted a man near to the Orot Rabin power station struggling in the water, a scene which soon turned into a pool of red.
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A desperate search and rescue was launched soon after the horrid incident was reported, with the Coastal Department for the area confirming at the time that officers were patrolling the area in the bid to recover the body of the victim.
Spokesperson for the Israeli police, Cmdr. Aryeh Doron, issued an initial statement on Monday.The last words of the man who was attacked by a shark have been revealed (Amir Levy/Getty Images)
"A short time ago, police officers from the Hadera station were dispatched following a report from citizens who claimed to have seen a shark attacking a diver in the water," Doron said.
"We will continue to update according to developments. We call on the public travelling in the area to avoid entering the water and coming into contact with the sharks."
Terrified onlookers rang the emergency services while witnessing the incident, with one witness recalling hearing the man shout 'help' and 'they're biting me' before he vanished out of view.
"There's someone here that a shark has bitten. He's screaming, 'Help!' He's in the sea at Hadera. He's drowning," another beachgoer told the emergency services.
"He's in the sea. Nobody's coming to save him," the onlooker added.
And in one chilling recording of the incident, one man was reacting live to the incident, telling viewers: "Wow, wow, he’s with the shark, he’s fighting him."
A later update on Tuesday (April 22) stated that a body has now been discovered.
"We are on the second day of searches and are using every available resource. The police commissioner has directed all forces to assist. Several findings have been sent for testing, and we await the results," Cmdr. Aryeh Doron added.
"We are committed to doing everything we can to bring closure to the family and will continue our efforts until the missing man is located."
The Israel Nature and Parks Authority has since issued a warning to beachgoers on its Mediterranean coast.
"The Authority reiterates its warning against interacting with sharks and once again calls on the public to avoid approaching them, as they are protected animals," the Israeli government agency wrote
