Family tells of terror after shark shuts down beaches

Family tells of terror after shark shuts down beaches
Danny Mok, Helene Franchineau and Jolie Ho
Jul 02, 2012   SCMP   


A woman has described the terrifying moment when she saw a huge shark http://amzn.to/MmGo4G as she swam with a group of children off Lamma Island.


Police confirmed the presence of a shark yesterday and authorities ordered the closure of 12 beaches on Lamma and Hong Kong Islands.


Anne-Sophie Girard was on a catamaran yacht, moored off Sham Wan, and enjoying a party with her husband Martin, their four children, aged five to 12, and friends when she took a dip yesterday afternoon.


But summer fun turned to horror when the boat's captain spotted a fin and ordered the 15 swimmers, including Girard and her two youngest children, back onboard.


"At that moment we were just really scared. It was quite a big shark. It was a close call," she said.


The couple believe the creature they saw was a whale shark, the world's largest shark species, due to distinctive markings on its back.


"It is very big, grey with white dots on it, and its fin is black," Girard's husband said. Despite their alarm, the couple say the creature did not appear aggressive, even as it swam under the yacht. Whale sharks feed mostly on plankton and are not considered a significant threat.


A sighting of a shark about four to five metres long was reported to police at about 1pm yesterday, about an hour before the Girards' ordeal. Police patrol vessels confirmed the shark's presence and the Leisure and Cultural Services Department quickly raised red closure flags on beaches. A marine biologist played down fears the shark could threaten participants in the Dragon Boat Carnival, starting in Victoria Harbour today.


"The chances of a shark coming into Victoria Harbour would be very low. They would usually appear in clean waters following the ocean currents in summer. In Hong Kong, sightings are mostly reported in eastern and southern waters," said Dr Samuel Hung Ka-yiu, the Hong Kong Dolphin Conservation Society chairman.

      
Hoisting of red flags and shark flags at beaches
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Attention Duty Announcers, Radio and TV Stations:


Please broadcast the followings as soon as possible and repeat it at regular intervals:


Here is an item of interest to swimmers.


     The Leisure and Cultural Services Department announced today (July 1) that shark warning flags and red flags have been hoisted at Hung Shing Yeh Beach, Lo So Shing Beach in Islands District; Deep Water Bay Beach, Repulse Bay Beach, Middle Bay Beach, South Bay Beach, Chung Hom Kok Beach, St Stephen's Beach, Stanley Main Beach, Turtle Cove Beach, Shek O Beach and Big Wave Bay Beach in Southern District, Hong Kong Island today because confirmed report of sighting of shark was received by the Marine Police in the Deep Bay, Lama Island. The beaches are temporarily closed. Beach-goers are advised not to swim at those beaches until further notice.


     Apart from the above beaches, the Stanley Main Beach Water Sports Centre and St. Stephen's Beach Water Sports Centre in Southern District were also closed.
Ends/Sunday, July 1, 2012
Issued at HKT 17:48