MARSA ALAM, Egypt (2 Jun 2009) — A shark attacked and killed a French tourist who was diving at a site where local dive operators have been illegally feeding sharks. Authorities told CDNN the victim, whose name has not yet been released, was a 50-year-old woman who was snorkel diving with about 20 other divers off the Le Nautile liveaboard safari boat. Yves Tiquet, the president of the Paris dive club that booked the dive trip with Aquarev, a French travel agency, said an oceanic white tip shark killed the woman at St. John's Reef. According to witnesses, the snorkel divers were in the water watching the shark when the victim dived under the surface to get closer to the animal. Officials said the shark bit her in the leg and she bled to death. Amr Ali, the president of the Society for the Preservation of the Red Sea Environment released a statement alluding to allegations dive operators have been illegally feeding sharks at the site. Mary Gleeson of Egypt's Chamber of Diving and Watersports (CWDS) confirmed that at least two liveaboard dive boat operators are being investigated for illegally feeding sharks and face severe penalties if the allegations are found to be true. "Shark-feeding is a serious violation of Red Sea rules, and an act that can severely disturb the sensitive marine eco-system and behaviour of marine animals," Gleeson told reporters. Criminal prosecution, civil lawsuits Dive operators that illegally feed sharks at the dive site where the victim was attacked face criminal prosecution for manslaughter, and if convicted, would likely be sentenced to jail. The family of the victim could also file civil suits against the owner of Le Nautile liveaboard safari boat, the Aquarev travel agency and the Paris dive club, which are legally responsible for taking reasonable precautions to ensure the safety of dive tour participants. Bad for sharks, bad for people Most scientists who study sharks condemn DEMA, PADI, Scuba Diving Magazine and scores of sleazy, underwater image touts who collude to green-wash the lucrative business of shark baiting and prevent full protection of sharks and other endangered marine species. Dr. Denise Herzing, a renowned marine mammalogist who conducts research in the Bahamas says feeding sharks is bad for people and sharks. ''Feeding the sharks changes their behavior,'' Herzing said. "It's just like feeding bears at Yellowstone. It makes them associate humans with food. It makes them more aggressive. It endangers people.'' | 
