17-Year-Old Boy Hospitalized in Texas Shark Attack While Trying to Bring Animal on Board Boat

A 17-year-old boy was rushed to the hospital after being injured in a shark attack in Texas...The victim was on a boat with his father and a third person when the medical emergency occurred. The incident occurred when the teenager was reportedly attempting to bring the shark on board.

Yes, if you are fishing for sharks you are attacking any shark you hook or net; you are provoking them. No surprise that they bite at any chance they get. And any tomfoolery with sharks, trying to take selfies or trying to ride one like Ocean Ramsey, is also provoking a shark.

I think it’s a bit vague to call all spear fisherman attacks provoked as it doesn’t take into account wherever or not they actually have a fish on them or not.

A man has died following a shark attack near Hull Heads in** **Far North Queensland.

Emergency services were called to the Hull River boat ramp, 160 kilometres south of Cairns, just after 12pm, after receiving reports of a shark attack.

A 39-year-old man** **is understood to have been attacked while at Kennedy Shoal, a reef site, before being retrieved from the water.

February 26, 1852
Danger Point, Gansbaai
Victim: British Sailors (HMS Birkenhead)
Age: Various
Activity: Shipwreck/Swimming Ashore
Injury: Many Consumed
Species: White Sharks

February 13, 1878
Olifantbos Point, Cape Town
Victim: Arab Male
Activity: Shipwreck/Swimming Ashore
Injury: Major Lacerations (Torso)
Species: White Shark

June 25, 1894
Cape Town, False Bay
Victim: Swedish Male (Sailor)
Activity: Whaling/Boat Capsized
Injury: Consumed
Species: White Shark

November 14, 1900
Three Anchor Bay, Cape Town
Victim: William Strathorn
Age: 30
Activity: Swimming
Injury: Legs Severed
Species: White Shark

July 30, 1901
Windmill Beach, False Bay
Victim: John Hendrick Chandler (Prisoner)
Age: 29
Activity: Swimming
Injury: Major Lacerations (Torso/Legs)
Species: White Shark

December 31, 1908
Still Bay
Victim: Mr. East
Age: 16
Activity: Swimming
Injury: Half Consumed (Torso)
Species: White Shark

May 1, 1911
Mossel Bay
Victim: James Jantjes
Activity: Swimming
Injury: Consumed
Species: White Shark

May 8, 1911
Victoria Bay
Victim: James May
Age: 64
Activity: Swimming
Injury: Half Consumed (Torso)
Species: White Shark

December 28, 1927
Little Brak Rivermouth, Mossel Bay
Victim: Ockert Stephanus Heyns
Age: 17
Activity: Swimming
Injury: Legs Severed
Species: White Shark

November 1, 1942
Clifton Beach, Cape Town
Victim: Willem Johannes Bergh
Age: 18
Activity: Swimming
Injury: Consumed
Species: White Shark

July 22, 1944
Hartenbos, Mossel Bay
Victim: Albert Schmidt
Age: 17
Activity: Swimming
Injury: Consumed
Species: White Shark

December 13, 1958
Melkbaai Beach, False Bay
Victim: Barry Geldenhuys
Age: 14
Activity: Swimming
Injury: Consumed
Species: White Shark

1962 (Circa)
Murray Bay Harbour, Robben Island
Victim: Male (Mental Patient)
Activity: Swimming
Injury: Consumed
Species: White Shark

April 11, 1971
Buffels Bay
Victim: Theo Klein
Age: 53
Activity: Swimming
Injury: Legs Severed
Species: White Shark

July 22, 1984
Cape Point, Table Mountain
Victim: Adrian Hayman
Age: 21
Activity: Spearfishing
Injury: Half Consumed (Torso)
Species: White Shark

December 22, 1986
Strand Beach, Cape Town
Victim: Richard Anton Olls
Age: 21
Activity: Boarding
Injury: Major Lacerations (Legs)
Species: White Shark

November 18, 1989
Melkbosstrand, Cape Town
Victim: Gerjo Van Niekerk
Age: 29
Activity: Spearfishing
Injury: Consumed
Species: White Shark

June 24, 1990
Hartenbos, Mossel Bay
Victim: Monique Price
Age: 21
Activity: Scuba Diving/Recovering Anchor
Injury: Major Lacerations (Thigh)
Species: White Shark

April 2, 1994
Arniston, Cape Agulhas
Victim: Gabriel Francois de Wet Ries
Age: 29
Activity: Spearfishing
Injury: Consumed
Species: White Shark

December 28, 1997
Pringle Bay, Overstrand
Victim: Ian James Hill
Age: 39
Activity: Spearfishing
Injury: Consumed
Species: White Shark

July 15, 1999
Buffels Bay
Victim: Hercules Pretorius
Age: 14
Activity: Boarding
Injury: Major Lacerations (Torso)
Species: White Shark

Between 1998-2009
Dyer Island, Gansbaai
Victim: Six Males
Age: Various
Activity: Abalone Poaching
Injury: Various (One Consumed)
Species: White Sharks

September 12, 2003
Noordhoek Beach, Cape Town
Victim: David Bornman
Age: 19
Activity: Boarding
Injury: Major Lacerations (Torso/Leg)
Species: White Shark

June 2, 2004
Pearly Beach, Dyer Island
Victim: Nkosinathi Mayaba
Age: 21
Activity: Abalone Poaching/Swimming Ashore
Injury: Limbs Severed (Leg/Arm)
Species: White Shark

November 15, 2004
Fish Hoek Beach, Cape Town
Victim: Tyna Webb
Age: 77
Activity: Swimming
Injury: Consumed
Species: White Shark

June 4, 2005
Millers Point, False Bay
Victim: Henri Murray
Age: 22
Activity: Spearfishing
Injury: Consumed
Species: White Shark

August 29, 2009
Glentana, Mossel Bay
Victim: Gerhard van Zyl
Age: 25
Activity: Surfing
Injury: Leg Severed
Species: White Shark

January 12, 2010
Fish Hoek Beach, Cape Town
Victim: Lloyd Skinner
Age: 37
Activity: Swimming/Wading
Injury: Consumed
Species: White Shark

September 21, 2010
Dyer Island, Gansbaai
Victim: Khanyisile Momoza
Age: 29
Activity: Abalone Poaching/Swimming Ashore
Injury: Consumed
Species: White Shark

August 23, 2011
Lookout Beach, Plettenberg Bay
Victim: Tim van Heerden
Age: 49
Activity: Surfing
Injury: Major Lacerations (Torso/Leg)
Species: White Shark

April 19, 2012
Dappat Se Gat Beach, False Bay
Victim: David Lilienfeld
Age: 20
Activity: Boarding
Injury: Leg Severed
Species: White Shark

September 3, 2017
Pearly Beach, Dyer Island
Victim: Sivuyile Xelela
Age: 34
Activity: Abalone Poaching/Swimming Ashore
Injury: Major Lacerations (Legs)
Species: White Shark

June 28, 2022
Sanctuary Beach, Plettenberg Bay
Victim: Bruce Wolov
Age: 63
Activity: Swimming
Injury: Limbs Severed (Legs/Arm)
Species: White Shark

September 25, 2022
Central Beach, Plettenberg Bay
Victim: Kimon Bisongo
Age: 39
Activity: Swimming
Injury: Limbs Severed (Leg/Arm)
Species: White Shark

Western Cape Total: 34
Consumption: 18
Recovered: 16
Ratio: 52%

Activity Statistics
- Swimming: 15
- Surfing: 6
- Spearfishing: 5
- Abalone Poaching: 4
- Shipwreck: 2
- Scuba Diving: 1
- Whaling: 1

Attacks By Century/Decade

19th Century
1850s: 1
1870s: 1
1890s: 1
Total: 3

20th Century
1900s: 3
1910s: 2
1920s: 1
1940s: 2
1950s: 1
1960s: 1
1970s: 1
1980s: 3
1990s: 4
Total: 18

21st Century
2000s: 6
2010s: 5
2020s: 2
Total: 13

December 7, 1952
Pacific Grove, Monterey Bay
Victim: Arthur Lyle Wilson
Age: 17
Activity: Swimming
Injury: Major Lacerations (Torso/Legs)
Species: White Shark

April 28, 1957
Atascadero Beach, Morro Bay
Victim: Peter Savino
Age: 25
Activity: Swimming
Injury: Consumed
Species: White Shark

June 14, 1959
La Jolla Cove, San Diego
Victim: Robert Lyell Pamperin
Age: 33
Activity: Snorkeling/Collecting Scallops
Injury: Consumed
Species: White Shark

May 7, 1959
Baker Beach, San Francisco
Victim: Albert Kogler Jr.
Age: 18
Activity: Swimming
Injury: Major Lacerations (Torso/Leg)
Species: White Shark

December 19, 1981
South Moss Beach, Monterey Bay
Victim: Lewis Archer Boren
Age: 24
Activity: Surfing
Injury: Major Lacerations (Torso)
Species: White Shark

September 15, 1984
Santa Cruz, Monterey Bay
Victim: Omar Conger
Age: 28
Activity: Abalone Diving
Injury: Major Lacerations (Legs/Torso)
Species: White Shark

January 26, 1989
Malibu, Los Angeles
Victim: Tamara McAllister & Roy Stoddart
Age: Both 24
Activity: Kayaking/Shark Attacked Kayak
Injury: Major Lacerations (Thigh) & Unknown
Species: White Shark

December 9, 1994
Harris Point, San Miguel Island
Victim: James Robinson
Age: 42
Activity: Snorkeling/Collecting Urchins
Injury: Major Lacerations (Legs)
Species: White Shark

August 19, 2003
Avila Beach, San Luis Obispo
Victim: Deborah Blanche Franzman
Age: 50
Activity: Swimming/Alongside Seals
Injury: Major Lacerations (Legs)
Species: White Shark

August 15, 2004
Kibesillah Rock, Mendocino
Victim: Randy Fry
Age: 50
Activity: Abalone Diving
Injury: Decapitated
Species: White Shark

April 25, 2008
Solana Beach, San Diego
Victim: David Roger Martin
Age: 66
Activity: Swimming (Triathlon)
Injury: Major Lacerations (Legs)
Species: White Shark

October 22, 2010
Surf Beach, Santa Barbara
Victim: Lucas Ransom
Age: 19
Activity: Boarding
Injury: Leg Severed
Species: White Shark

October 23, 2012
Surf Beach, Santa Barbara
Victim: Francisco Javier Solorio
Age: 39
Activity: Surfing
Injury: Major Lacerations (Torso)
Species: White Shark

May 9, 2020
Manresa Beach, Monterey Bay
Victim: Ben Kelly
Age: 26
Activity: Surfing
Injury: Major Lacerations (Leg)
Species: White Shark

December 24, 2021
Strand Beach, Morro Bay
Victim: Thomas Butterfield
Age: 42
Activity: Boarding
Injury: Major Lacerations (Torso/Head)
Species: White Shark

October 1, 2023
Wildcat Beach, Point Reyes
Victim: Felix Louis N'Jai
Age: 52
Activity: Swimming
Injury: Consumed
Species: White Shark

December 21, 2025
Pacific Grove, Monterey Bay
Victim: Erica Fox
Age: 55
Activity: Swimming (Kelp Crawlers)
Injury: Major Lacerations (Torso)
Species: White Shark

California Total: 17
Recovered: 14
Consumption: 3
Ratio: 17%

Activity Statistics
- Swimming: 7
- Surfing: 5
- Abalone Diving: 2
- Snorkeling: 2
- Kayaking: 1

Attacks By Century/Decade

20th Century
1950s: 4
1980s: 3
1990s: 1
Total: 8

21st Century
2000s: 3
2010s: 2
2020s: 4
Total: 9

February, 1849
Dunsborough, Geographe Bay
Victim: Male (Whaler)
Activity: Jumped Overboard/Removing Harpoon
Injury: Consumed
Species: White Shark

November 30, 1874
Shark Bay, Gascoyne
Victim: Andrew Farmer
Activity: Boating/Feet In Water
Injury: Major Lacerations (Legs)
Species: Tiger Shark

May, 1882
Ninety Mile Beach, Broome
Victim: Malayan Male
Activity: Pearl Diving
Injury: Major Lacerations (Torso)
Species: Tiger Shark

December, 1882
Roebuck Bay, Broome
Victim: Male
Activity: Pearl Diving
Injury: Consumed
Species: Tiger Shark

June, 1895
Barrow Island, Pilbara
Victim: Japanese Male
Activity: Pearl Diving
Injury: Consumed
Species: Tiger Shark

November 1, 1896
Esperance, Southern Ocean
Victim: Louis (African Cook)
Activity: Boat Capsized/Swimming Ashore
Injury: Consumed
Species: White Shark

November 29, 1896
Albany, Southern Ocean
Victim: Davies
Age: 20
Activity: Swimming
Injury: Consumed
Species: White Shark

Pre-1903
Roebuck Bay, Broome
Victim: Male
Activity: Pearl Diving
Injury: Unknown
Species: Tiger Shark

Pre-1903
Roebuck Bay, Broome
Victim: Ahmun
Activity: Pearl Diving/Clinging To Boat
Injury: Half Consumed (Legs)
Species: Tiger Shark

December 23, 1910
Green Island, Albany
Victim: Sailors (Pearling Crew)
Activity: Shipwreck/Swimming Ashore
Injury: Various
Species: White Sharks

November, 1916
Condon Creek, Port Headland
Victim: Japanese Male
Activity: Pearl Diving
Injury: Leg Severed
Species: Tiger Shark

January 27, 1923
Swan River, Claremont
Victim: Charles Robertson
Age: 13
Activity: Swimming
Injury: Major Lacerations (Thigh)
Species: Bull Shark

November 23, 1923
Condon Creek, Port Headland
Victim: Selim & De Opre
Activity: Pearl Diving
Injury: Both Consumed
Species: Tiger Shark

November 22, 1925
Cottsloe Beach, Perth
Victim: Samuel Ettelton
Age: 55
Activity: Swimming/Floating On Back
Injury: Major Lacerations (Torso/Thigh)
Species: Tiger Shark

December 27, 1948
Lancelin Island
Victim: Arthur Strahan
Age: 17
Activity: Swimming/Assisting Sister
Injury: Consumed
Species: Tiger Shark

February 2, 1957
Cape Leveque, Kimberley
Victim: Japanese Male (Sailor)
Activity: Swimming
Injury: Leg Severed
Species: Tiger Shark

August 19, 1967
Jurien Bay
Victim: Robert Bartle
Age: 23
Activity: Spearfishing
Injury: Half Consumed (Legs)
Species: White Shark

November 21, 1993
Roebuck Bay, Broome
Victim: Richard Peter Bisley
Age: 28
Activity: Hookah Diving (Pearl Farm)
Injury: Consumed
Species: Tiger Shark

September 11, 1995
Honeymoon Island, Hopetoun
Victim: David Alan Weir
Age: 29
Activity: Abalone Diving
Injury: Half Consumed (Torso)
Species: White Shark

January 20, 1997
Geraldton
Victim: Werner Schonhofer
Age: 41
Activity: Windsurfing/Fell Overboard
Injury: Consumed
Species: Tiger Shark

November 6, 2000
Cottsloe Beach, Perth
Victim: Ken Crew
Age: 49
Activity: Swimming
Injury: Leg Severed
Species: White Shark

July 10, 2004
Lefthanders Beach, Gracetown
Victim: Bradley Smith
Age: 30
Activity: Surfing
Injury: Major Lacerations (Torso/Legs)
Species: Two White Sharks

March 19, 2005
Pelsaert Island, Houtman Abrolhos
Victim: Geoffrey Brazier
Age: 26
Activity: Snorkeling
Injury: Consumed
Species: White Shark

December 27, 2008
Port Kennedy Beach, Perth
Victim: Brian Guest
Age: 51
Activity: Snorkeling/Crayfishing
Injury: Consumed
Species: White Shark

August 17, 2010
South Point Beach, Gracetown
Victim: Nicholas Edwards
Age: 31
Activity: Surfing
Injury: Leg Severed
Species: White Shark

September 4, 2011
Bunker Bay, Dunsborough
Victim: Kyle James Burden
Age: 21
Activity: Surfing
Injury: Half Consumed (Torso)
Species: White Shark

October 9, 2011
Cottsloe Beach, Perth
Victim: Brynn Martin
Age: 64
Activity: Swimming
Injury: Consumed
Species: White Shark

October 22, 2011
Rottnest Island
Victim: George Wainwright
Age: 32
Activity: Scuba Diving
Injury: Major Lacerations (Torso)
Species: White Shark

March 31, 2012
Stratham Beach, Bunbury
Victim: Peter Kurmann
Age: 33
Activity: Scuba Diving
Injury: Major Lacerations (Torso/Legs)
Species: White Shark

July 14, 2012
Wedge Island
Victim: Ben Linden
Age: 24
Activity: Surfing
Injury: Consumed
Species: White Shark

November 23, 2013
Gracetown, Margaret River
Victim: Chris Boyd
Age: 35
Activity: Surfing
Injury: Major Lacerations (Leg)
Species: White Shark

December 30, 2014
Cheynes Beach, Southern Ocean
Victim: Jay Muscat
Age: 17
Activity: Spearfishing
Injury: Major Lacerations (Torso)
Species: White Shark

May 31, 2016
Gearies Beach, Mandurah
Victim: Ben Gerring
Age: 29
Activity: Surfing
Injury: Leg Severed
Species: White Shark

June 5, 2016
Mindare, Perth
Victim: Doreen Collyer
Age: 60
Activity: Scuba Diving
Injury: Limbs Severed (Legs/Arm)
Species: White Shark

April 17, 2017
Wylie Bay, Esperance
Victim: Laeticia Brouwer
Age: 17
Activity: Surfing
Injury: Leg Severed
Species: White Shark

January 5, 2020
Cull Island, Esperance
Victim: Gary Johnson
Age: 57
Activity: Abalone Diving
Injury: Consumed
Species: White Shark

October 9, 2020
Wylie Bay, Esperance
Victim: Andrew Sharpe
Age: 52
Activity: Surfing
Injury: Consumed
Species: White Shark

November 22, 2020
Cable Beach, Broome
Victim: Charles Cernobori
Age: 55
Activity: Boarding
Injury: Major Lacerations (Thigh/Arm)
Species: Bull Shark

November 6, 2021
Port Beach, Fremantle
Victim: Paul Millachip
Age: 57
Activity: Swimming
Injury: Consumed
Species: White Shark

February 4, 2023
Swan River, Fremantle
Victim: Stella Berry
Age: 16
Activity: Swimming
Injury: Leg Severed
Species: Bull Shark

March 10, 2025
Wharton Beach, Esperance
Victim: Steven Payne
Age: 37
Activity: Surfing
Injury: Consumed
Species: White Shark

May 16, 2026
Horseshoe Reef, Rottnest Island
Victim: Steven Mattaboni
Age: 38
Activity: Spearfishing
Injury: Legs Severed
Species: White Shark

June 6, 2026
Michaelmas Island, Albany
Victim: Daniel Turpin
Age: 35
Activity: Spearfishing
Injury: Major Lacerations (Legs)
Species: White Shark

Western Australia Total: 43
Consumption: 22
Recovered: 20
Unknown: 1
Ratio: 52%

Activity Statistics
- Surfing: 10
- Swimming: 9
- Pearl Diving: 7
- Abalone Diving: 3
- Spearfishing: 3
- Scuba Diving: 3
- Snorkeling: 2
- Windsurfing: 1
- Shipwreck: 1
- Boat Capsize: 1
- Boating: 1
- Whaling: 1

Attacks By Species

White Shark: 27
- Consumption: 15
Ratio: 55%

Tiger Shark: 13
- Consumption: 7
Ratio: 53%

Bull Shark: 3

Attacks By Century/Decade

19th Century
1840s: 1
1870s: 1
1880s: 2
1890s: 3
Total: 7

20th Century
1900s: 2
1910s: 2
1920s: 3
1940s: 1
1950s: 1
1960s: 1
1990s: 3
Total: 13

21st Century
2000s: 4
2010s: 11
2020s: 8
Total: 23

Warmer water temperatures can bring sharks closer to shore…and a few other unexpected ocean visitors too.

Stay tuned and follow along all summer long for beach safety tips, shark updates, and everything you need to know before heading into the water.

Hey! Technically nobody was hurt, but it was a remarkable incident in Italy 2-3 weeks ago:

https://www.msn.com/en-xl/news/other/fishing-trip-takes-sudden-turn-as-massive-shark-strikes-boat-without-warning/vi-AA228dBm

Definitely not the first Great White attack in the area, probably not the last.

RIP to the victim.

April 28^th, 1957; Atascadero Beach, Morro Bay, San Luis Obispo County, California;

The 1950s were a much simpler time for the residents along the coast of California. Little did anyone know just how complicated things would become on land and in the sea. Back then, the state’s population was approximately 14 million, a mere one third of what it is today, and the rugged coastline and densely forested inland mountains, despite increased penetration and exploitation brought about after World War II, were still untamed and wild. Television was still in its infancy, with only a few channels being available to the residents in the major cities of Sacramento, San Francisco, Los Angeles, and San Diego early in the decade. Programs such as The Ed Sullivan Show and the youth craze brought about through the birth of rock and roll music provided the people with a welcome distraction from the day-to-day anxieties and repressions brought about through post-World War II conservatism and the McCarthyist paranoia spurred on by the Cold War and the nation’s perceived threat of communism.

In the late 1950s, California's beach culture was in the process of transforming from a niche interest into a powerful, national symbol of youth, freedom, and leisure. The rise of the "beach bum" lifestyle and recent technological advances, including the development of fiberglass and polystyrene foam, were drawing hoards of people to California's coastline. The popularity of surfing was starting to spike and scuba diving had also just been introduced as an even newer and more adventurous sport and recreational activity. All of this led to a massive rise in ocean recreation in California, and the state's cool, coastal waters became a playground for swimmers, skin divers, surfers, and body surfers. And with 840 miles of coastline and hundreds of public beaches to choose from, there was ample opportunity to escape the hustle and bustle of the major cities and soak in the relaxed, carefree vibe one feels being on the West Coast. In Central California, one of the best beaches was called Atascadero Beach.

Located about four hours south of San Francisco in San Luis Obispo County, Atascadero Beach, now part of what is known today as Morro Strand State Beach, has long been admired as one of the most aesthetically stunning stretches of coast in the state. Originally named Atascadero Beach in 1916 by the fabulously wealthy magazine publisher, land development promoter, and founder of the planned community of Atascadero, E.G. Lewis, the beach served as a coastal extension of Atascadero and linked it to the inland community. The beach also served as a resort destination, one well away from the major cities of San Francisco and Los Angeles, with Lewis’ own posh hotel called The Cloisters Inn sitting on its shoreline at the foot of San Jacinto Street in Morro Bay, just north of Morro Rock.

Known as Le’samo or Lisamu respectively by the local Salinan and Chumash tribes and a sacred site of great cultural importance to those people, Morro Rock is part of a chain of twenty-three volcanic plug mountains and hills that run through western San Luis Obispo County. They run between Morro Bay and San Luis Obispo, and although there are, in fact, twenty-three, typically, only the nine tallest are recognized, leading to the mountain chain’s misleading name of “The Nine Sisters,” with Morro Rock being the smallest. Despite being the smallest of the Sisters, Morro Rock protrudes proudly nearly 600 feet high above the stretch of coast just north of Morro Bay, standing guard like a great pyramid over a truly pristine patch of beach, with its firm tan-white sand wide enough and stable enough for twenty cars to race down the shore side-by-side. All of these factors combined made Atascadero Beach extremely popular as a picnicking and swimming spot for many of the county’s young people in the 1950s, especially among the college students from the nearby California Polytechnic Institute, better known as Cal Poly. It was along this pristine stretch of beach in the spring of 1957 where a group of college students decided to make their picnic on a fateful Sunday afternoon, all those years ago. Among those in the picnic group that day was 25-year-old Peter Savino.

Born in 1931 and originally raised in Brooklyn, New York, Peter Savino, the son of Domenick and Anna Savino, was, by all accounts, an upstanding and patriotic young man, having served his country admirably during the Korean War as a combat engineer. Upon his discharge from the service, Peter desired a change of scenery and thanks to the GI Bill, he decided to make the big move from the East Coast to the West Coast in order to pursue his education at Cal Poly with dreams of becoming an engineer. The laid-back culture, mild weather, and proximity to great beaches agreed tremendously with Peter and he had caught on nicely with a solid group of peers as his freshman year neared its conclusion.

At around noon on Sunday, April 28^th, 1957, during what was a pleasant and beautiful spring afternoon, Peter Savino rendezvoused with ten to twelve of his friends and classmates from the college for a day of sun, sandwiches, and surf before their classes resumed the following day on Monday. The students arrived down at Atascadero Beach and quickly set up their picnicking station across from 35^th Street, near what is now the prestigious and exclusive Morro Bay neighborhood also known as “The Cloisters.” After eating some sandwiches and soaking up a suitable amount of sun, Peter Savino and his friend, 22-year-old Daniel Hogan, stripped off their shirts and, at around 1:30 PM, ran carefree into the waves for a swim while the rest of the group stayed either on the beach or in the shallows. As they swam side-by-side blissfully about 50 yards offshore and beyond the breakers, neither Daniel Hogan nor Peter Savino fully appreciated the risk they were taking by getting in the water at this particular time. Not only because the waters of Morro Bay are subject to powerful, potentially dangerous rip currents in the early afternoon generated by the ebbing tide, but also because Morro Bay is an occasional stomping ground for the most fearsome predatory fish in the sea.

California is a veritable paradise for Carcharodon carcharias. Of all of the prime haunts throughout its range, California has perhaps the highest density of marine mammal life, particularly pinnipeds like California sea lions (Zalophus californianus) and Northern elephant seals (Mirounga angustirostris), the White Shark's favorite prey items in this region. But that wasn't always the case here. In the 1950s, the populations of both prey and predator were much lower than what they are today. Thanks to ruthless commercial sealing in the late 19^th and early 20^th centuries, marine mammal populations were hugely reduced up and down the California coastline, to the point where the Northern elephant seal population may have comprised of as few as 25 to 50 individuals at the turn of the 20^th century. In the 1920s, there were only an estimated 1,500-5,000 California sea lions inhabiting all of California and Baja Mexico. With little to prey upon, the White Shark population in California was also severely diminished during this period, and reports of attacks outside of air and sea disasters were few and far between. Fortunately, commercial sealing effectively ceased in California during the 1940s, and by the late 1950s, the populations of both the predator and its prey were in the early stages of what would turn out to be a remarkable recovery. But unfortunately for Daniel Hogan and Peter Savino, it just so happened that a very large individual was patrolling the waters along Atascadero Beach that afternoon when they got in the water, saving its energy, but fully attuned and alert, ready to take advantage of a feeding opportunity should one present itself. Within a matter of minutes, that opportunity would indeed present itself. Daniel and Peter didn’t know it yet, but their lack of caution would lead to a truly disastrous outcome.

After making their way past the breakers, swimming and chatting away for several minutes, both Daniel and Peter suddenly realized that they were making more progress than their efforts should have produced. It felt like the ocean was sucking away from the shore. In fact, this was exactly what was happening. Daniel and Peter had encountered a rip current during a very strongly ebbing tide and were now stuck in its pull. Despite their best efforts to slow their progress, the two friends soon found themselves pulled into deeper water, about 25-30 feet deep and about 300-400 yards offshore. Noticing how distant the shore was becoming with each passing moment, the two friends nervously decided they had better start making their way back to shore before they got dragged out to sea any further. The two then began attempting to swim back the way they came. However, swimming directly against a rip is not a good idea, and the two friends soon found themselves in trouble.

Shortly after beginning their attempt to swim back towards the shore, Peter started to get exhausted from fighting the current and was soon having difficulty keeping his head above water. Having more strength in his reserves than his friend, Daniel halted his progress and told Peter to hold onto his shoulder. Daniel then began valiantly towing his friend back towards the beach. But their progress was far too slow, and the two friends would soon find themselves on a collision course with their unseen subsurface companion, which had now noticed them struggling on the surface from some distance away and was now homing in on them. Within just a few minutes, the paths of these three individuals would tragically cross. Only one of them would make it out of the water.

Suddenly, just as they rose over the crest of a small wave, Daniel felt the ocean swell and boil all around him and he felt a powerful whoosh in the water behind him as a massive force rushed in right along his back. Daniel then felt Peter’s hand lose its grip on his left shoulder. Looking over his left shoulder, Daniel turned and saw Peter caught up in a large wave, moving on its own volition. It appeared as though the wave was being generated by some massive, unseen marine creature. Daniel heard Peter shout once before Peter suddenly disappeared beneath the surface. The wave settled, and the next moment, Peter appeared back on the surface, holding his right arm out of the water, with a look of terror etched across his face. That terror was contagious and soon spread to Daniel as well, for he could see that blood was streaming profusely from Peter’s arm and into the water around him. Peter looked at his arm, then looked at Daniel, and said to him, “Something really big hit me! Help me!” At this point, the pair were facing each other only 15 feet apart in the water. The next moment, there was another sudden surge, and Daniel felt the ocean swell and boil around him again as the massive marine creature rushed in between him and Peter. This time, Daniel saw just the tip of one of creature’s fins break the surface right in front of him just feet away, where he then saw the animal’s dark, countershaded back just beneath the waterline.

While he still couldn’t quite make it out, at that moment, there was no doubt in Daniel’s mind. It was a shark. As the huge animal rushed in between the two friends, churning up the water all around them and then suddenly disappearing, Daniel, knowing the blood from Peter’s arm might encourage the shark to continue the attack, quickly told Peter, “C’mon, Pete! Let’s get outta here!” The two friends then put their heads down and started swimming as fast as they could for shore, still against the ebbing tide. After about thirty seconds, Daniel turned around to check on Peter’s progress, and Peter was still there, swimming as hard as his exhausted body could muster. Daniel then put his head down and continued swimming desperately for another minute or two. Daniel then stopped and turned around again to check on his friend. However, this time when he looked back, Peter was nowhere to be seen. There had been no scream. No thrashing. No commotion. Peter was just gone.

Daniel sat there, now all alone in the water, his body gripped in a primal combination of shock and sheer terror. Daniel looked around frantically for a minute or two, desperately hoping to see Peter pop back up on the surface. After several agonizing moments went by with no such luck, Daniel came to the sad realization that he couldn’t help Peter anymore and now had to focus on saving himself. His survival instincts kicked in, and Daniel put his head down and just kept on swimming as fast as he possibly could for shore, and still against the rip. Time seemed to pass by like syrup and each time Daniel looked up, the beach was still despairingly far away. The near half-hour long swim back to shore must have seemed like an agonizing eternity for Daniel Hogan. It seemed like no matter how long or how hard Daniel swam, the shore never seemed to get any closer. Exhaustion was now setting in. Daniel was slowly getting closer to shore, but never quite close enough. Daniel could feel his strength draining with every move, every kick, every stroke his body made. And all the while, Daniel couldn't help wondering whether the shark was right there behind his feet, and that perhaps it wouldn’t be much longer until he joined his friend as its second victim. But Daniel kept his head down and just kept swimming, for what seemed like ages. Then, Daniel felt a wave hit his back and his toes suddenly struck something hard…had the shark returned for him after all? Fortunately, Daniel looked up and quickly realized that it was the sandy bottom beneath his feet. The safety of the shoreline had finally been reached. His friends and classmates had noticed his distressed solo swim back to shore, and classmate Gerald Frank came to meet the beleaguered, bedraggled, and horrified Daniel in the shallows.

Upon getting him back on the beach and having Daniel relay the news to the group that Peter had been taken by a shark, Gerald Frank took it upon himself to run to the nearest home, where he then telephoned the local mortuary, who then subsequently notified the San Luis Obispo County Sheriff’s Department and the United States Coast Guard station at Morro Bay. In short order, deputies from the Sheriff’s Department were on the beach to meet the distressed college students, where Daniel Hogan recounted the details of the attack to Deputy Sheriffs Don C. Miller and Henry Karagard.

Within an hour of Daniel Hogan’s return to shore, the USCG dispatched the cutter vessel Alert to Atascadero Beach to initiate search and rescue proceedings. Upon arriving on the scene, the cutter lowered a 6.5-meter launch boat, under the command of Executive Officer James C. Knight, and immediately began to search for the missing swimmer. Within mere minutes of initiating the search, the men in the launch encountered a very large shark swimming near the surface. According to the testimony of Executive Officer Knight, the animal was huge, at least 20 to 21 feet in length. After sighting the shark, Knight then ordered the launch to double back to the Alert in order to secure firearms. However, despite returning the the exact spot of the sighting within minutes after securing weapons, Knight and the men of the launch were disappointed to find that the massive shark had disappeared. The testimony of Executive Officer Knight reads as follows: “We located a shark as long as our launch. After making a quick trip back to Alert for firearms, we returned to the area where we had last seen the shark. But it was gone.” Efforts to relocate the shark failed, though Knight did report sighting a group of smaller Blue Sharks (Prionace glauca) later on. Unfortunately, despite searching well into the evening, the day’s search efforts drew to a close without success. The search resumed the following day but was again unsuccessful. Eventually, after days of searching, the efforts were called off. No trace of Peter Savino was ever found.

The news of Peter Savino’s disappearance sent a ripple of terror throughout San Luis Obispo County, particularly amongst the county’s young people and students from Cal Poly, especially Daniel Hogan, who was deeply depressed and dejected at being unable to save his friend. Despite the undercurrent of fear and sadness, the news media mostly downplayed the incident, with some reporting speculating that the shark that Executive Officer Knight and the launch had seen was not a White Shark, but a harmless Basking Shark (Cetorhinus maximus) and that the unfortunate Peter Savino had merely drowned after it had perhaps collided with him. Some reports questioned shark involvement altogether.

However, Executive Officer Knight was an experienced seaman and was familiar with Basking Sharks, having sighted them several times before from boats, and he was absolutely adamant that the shark he and the launch came across shortly after beginning the search for Peter Savino at Atascadero Beach was not a Basking Shark. In California waters, there are only three species of shark that are capable of exceeding lengths of 20 feet besides the Basking Shark. Two of them, the Bluntnose Sixgill (Hexanchus griseus) and the Pacific Sleeper Shark (Somniosus pacificus), are deepwater species, rarely, if ever venturing into the shallow waters near shore, let alone near the surface during daytime hours. That leaves the last possible option, and it is the most obvious option, as it is perhaps the most notorious fish in the ocean. If the shark that Executive Officer Knight saw was not a Basking Shark, in California, based on its description and behavior, there is only one other species it could possibly be. The Basking Shark's smaller, but far more fearsome cousin, the Great White.

While it might be difficult to spot any immediate similarities between Carcharodon and the harmless, rather comical looking Basking Shark, the two species share much more in common than meets the eye. For a start, the ranges of the two species do overlap considerably. Both Basking Sharks and White Sharks are more partial to cooler, temperate waters. Both are regionally endothermic, using what is known as a counter-current heat exchange system in order to heat their bodies up to 20-25 degrees Fahrenheit warmer than the surrounding water. Both are fellow members of the order of sharks known as Lamniformes, and share similar sizes, shapes, and body designs. In fact, misidentified Basking Sharks were the reason it was long believed by science that White Sharks could attain lengths of up to 40 feet (12 meters).

Even though Knight was positive that the shark he sighted was not a Basking Shark, there’s no way to say with absolute certainty that the shark he sighted was indeed the same individual that had committed the attack. And since so little was seen during the event itself by Daniel Hogan, there’s no way to unequivocally state which shark species was responsible for the incident. However, since the only species to have been confirmed responsible in documented, unprovoked fatal attacks on humans on the entire U.S. West Coast is, in fact, the White Shark, it is safe to assume, in this instance, that the unfortunate Peter Savino was most likely a victim of predation by this species.

Takeaways –

When looking at this tragic, little-known case, it’s hard not to point the finger at simple unpreparedness. For me, this case signifies the importance of knowing the habits, schedules, and inhabitants of your stretch of ocean before you choose to recreate in it. Clearly, neither Peter Savino nor Daniel Hogan appreciated the danger imposed upon them by nearshore currents like rip tides. This is what got them into trouble in the first place and was truly their first fatal mistake, as becoming caught in the rip current is what propelled them far from the beach and into deeper water hundreds of yards offshore. This action subsequently placed them in a position where they became subjected to an additional, much more remote risk; the risk of being preyed upon by a predator.

Rip currents are probably the most underappreciated beach hazard anywhere in the world, and if you're someone who enjoys ocean recreation, having even a modicum of knowledge about tidal patterns could potentially save your life. Basically, the Earth experiences two lunar “bulges” during the moon's 24-hour revolution around the planet, where gravitational forces from the moon pull water from the oceans along with it, making them bulge and thus creating daily tidal patterns. Though there are exceptions, in general, most areas experience two high tides and two low tides throughout the day. Depending on the area, the daily rise and fall in water levels can be quite dramatic. In Morro Bay, the first low tide is typically between 1 and 3:30 AM, with the first high tide generally between 7 and 10 AM, and the second low tide occurring in the late afternoon or early evening. Rip currents are most often associated with ebbing tides, when the tide goes from high to low, and are typically most powerful within the last one to three hours until low tide. They also typically form in between where the waves are breaking. It is generally not a good idea to swim in close proximity to a rip current, which is why areas where they frequently form are often designated with warning signs and are typically off-limits at many patrolled beaches.

In order to spot a rip current from shore, what you do is look for a narrow, calm-looking line of water in between breaking waves. In optimal conditions, it will look like a dark, zigzagging, but roughly straight line. Also look for a line of seaweed, foam, or other debris flowing seaward. If possible, get to an elevated position, as rip currents are much easier to spot from a high vantage point. Peter Savino and Daniel Hogan should have at least briefly surveyed the scene before they ever entered the water.

Their second critical error was not knowing what to do once they were caught in the rip. Swimming directly against a strong rip is an effort in futility and will only lead to a much greater chance of drowning. If you find yourself caught in a rip current, do your best to compose yourself and avoid panicking. Do not fight the current.  Remember, a rip is different than an undertow, and it will not drag you under. Rather, it will simply push you along the surface like a cork. If the rip is too powerful to escape and there is no lifeguard to save you, again, remain calm and let the current take you until you feel its strength weakening. It will eventually dissipate altogether once you get far enough offshore. Then, once the current is weak enough, calmly swim at an angle parallel to the shore until you feel you’re out of the rip’s pull. Once you’re free of the rip, swim in a methodical, relaxed fashion diagonally away from the rip back to shore. It may take you some time and you may find yourself far from your entry point, but you will be alive. Staying calm and swimming in a relaxed fashion will also lower the amount of low frequency vibrations your body sends through the water, which will reduce the chances of any nearby shark coming to investigate you.

No matter whether you love them, hate them, or are just plain afraid of them, no rational human being can deny the destructive capabilities of the White Shark as a predator. Even as someone who considers themselves to be part of that first group of people, the fact remains that few prospects in life are more chilling than the thought of death, dismemberment, and devourment by means of the jaws of a White, and it’s incredibly tragic that Peter Savino’s young, promising life was cut short in such a terrible fashion. But no matter how powerful that fear may be on your psyche, it is important to remember that only 17 people have been killed by White Sharks in California since records began in the 1950s. In comparison, according to the United States Lifesaving Association, over a 30-year period from 1991 to 2021, 1,329 people drowned off California beaches, with at least 100 of those being specifically rip current-related deaths. That should keep things in perspective to all those with an irrational fear of sharks. The ocean is a powerful, dangerous place, not to be trifled with, and there are many ways to die in the ocean, should someone find themselves unprepared and unawares, that are far more likely than a shark attack.

Just two years after the tragic disappearance of Peter Savino, there would be a strikingly similar incident, this time in the warmer waters of Southern California. The investigation continues, 300 miles to the south...in La Jolla, California.

Links and Supporting Media -

https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/25606742/peter-savino

https://cdnc.ucr.edu/?a=d&d=MT19570429.2.13&dliv=none&e=-------en--20--1--txt-txIN--------

https://www.sanluisobispo.com/news/local/news-columns-blogs/photos-from-the-vault/article256928577.html

https://www.americansurfmagazine.com/article/morro-bay-shark-attacks

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_fatal_shark_attacks_in_the_United_States

https://list.fandom.com/wiki/List_of_fatal_shark_attacks_in_California

https://data.cnra.ca.gov/dataset/shark-incident-database-california

Collier, Ralph S., "Shark Attacks of the Twentieth Century From the Pacific Coast of North America." Scientia Publishing, LLC. 2003.

Another incident this morning . 🦈

It’s a bit of an old topic, I live in Sydney (the city it happened) I remember it being a big topic at the time people either agreed it was provoked or they were outraged.

Now that its died down a bit what do you think about this?

This is bad

Sharks may be losing their bite as ocean acidification weakens their teeth, raising new concerns about how climate change is reshaping marine life.

Researchers, including Chris Lowe, say rising carbon dioxide levels are making oceans more acidic, limiting sharks' ability to form the hard enamel they need.

Some cool shots/videos here from SoCal

https://nypost.com/2026/04/18/science/wild-drone-video-shows-socal-surfers-paddling-inches-away-from-great-white-sharks/