Diver killed by great white shark moments after jumping into water as horrified partner watched
Authorities in Australia are searching for the body of a man who they say was attacked and killed by a great white shark while he was diving off the country's western coast. Gary Johnson had just dived into the waters close to Cull Island near West Beach in the Shire of Esperance on Sunday, January 5, when the horrifying incident unfolded, according to Newsweek.
In a statement addressing the death, Goldfields-Esperance District, WA Police Force said, "Esperance Police and Marine Rescue WA volunteers deployed to the area on board the marine rescue vessels. They are still searching the ocean for the victim."
"A woman who was on board the boat at the time of the incident has been returned to shore and has been taken by St John Ambulance to hospital. She is suffering from shock," it continued. "Police Air Wing and specialist divers from Water Police are assisting with the search."
Following Johnson's death, government program SharkSmart cautioned those in the area to remain careful. "Use your sea sense and stay informed by checking for shark activity on the SharkSmart website, SharkSmart WA app or Surf Life Saving WA's Twitter feed," they said.
"If you see a shark, report it to the Water Police on 9442 8600. All shark sighting information reported to Water Police is provided to land managers and relevant authorities and the public on the SharkSmart website."
They added that fisheries officers would now be conducting patrols in the area.
Shire of Esperance president Ian Mickel said they have closed all their beaches immediately and advised people to get out of the water anywhere they knew people were swimming or surfing.
In the aftermath, Johnson's partner Karen Milligan, who was the woman on the boat who had to be treated for shock after the incident, has said she still wants great whites protected despite his death.
In a tribute, she described him as a "kind, gentle, strong man" and said an experienced scuba diver such as himself is always "aware of the risk" during such diving exercises, adding that she does not want the shark responsible for his death to be killed.
"We were always aware of the risks, and often told each other that if we were attacked by a shark, that would just be unlucky," she said. "We were completely against shark culling, and I still am."
Milligan said the public would be better protected from shark attacks if they looked after the ocean's fish population and ecosystem.
"We have watched with dismay the reduction of fish stocks over the years," she said. "We believed that if fish stocks were better protected, then the risk to people in the water would be reduced. Gary's vision was to have a Marine Park in the Esperance area."
As of January 6, authorities are still searching for Johnson's body.