Florida Spearfisherman Fends Off 3 Sharks With Speargun, Escaping Unhurt Off Destin
Updated
Updated · Fox News · Jul 15
Florida Spearfisherman Fends Off 3 Sharks With Speargun, Escaping Unhurt Off Destin
2 articles · Updated · Fox News · Jul 15
Summary
Matthew Piendak fought off three sharks during a safety stop off Destin, using his speargun to keep them back until a nearby boat pulled him from the Gulf uninjured.
POV footage showed the sharks repeatedly charging him after dead and wounded fish from his dive appeared to draw them in.
The encounter came amid an early summer uptick in shark incidents, including a New York beach closure over bull sharks, a swimmer bitten in Queens and a child attacked in shallow Florida water.
Chris Fischer of OCEARCH said shark populations have rebounded to roughly 1960s levels and urged swimmers to avoid the water when bait fish are active.