New Zealand diver injured by shark during first spearfishing trip in Fiji

A New Zealand diver on his first spearfishing excursion off Fiji was bitten by a shark on July 19, leaving him with serious injuries that required four surgeries and a skin graft. The diver, Henry Gibbs, said he had been hunting on a reef before moving into clearer water when a shark lingered nearby and began circling him.

"Looking back, that should’ve been enough of a sign to call the dive. I never thought a shark of that size posed much of a threat, and that was a mistake," Gibbs said in an Instagram post. The incident was captured on a point-of-view camera showing the shark suddenly surge forward and strike his calf. Gibbs attributed the attack to possible noise from the boat, spearguns and his movements, which may have attracted the shark’s attention. He emphasized the importance of not ignoring agitated shark signals and advised divers to relocate if a shark’s behavior changes. Gibbs expressed no animosity toward the animal, noting he was in its environment and at the wrong place at the wrong time.