{"id":2173275,"date":"2024-02-27T12:00:48","date_gmt":"2024-02-27T11:00:48","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/focusingonwildlife.com\/news\/?p=2173275"},"modified":"2024-01-22T14:53:25","modified_gmt":"2024-01-22T13:53:25","slug":"fisherman-dies-after-having-leg-bitten-off-by-great-white-shark-while-diving-for-scallops","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/focusingonwildlife.com\/news\/fisherman-dies-after-having-leg-bitten-off-by-great-white-shark-while-diving-for-scallops\/","title":{"rendered":"Fisherman dies after having leg bitten off by great white shark while diving for scallops"},"content":{"rendered":"

A young fisherman diving for scallops in the Pacific Ocean off the Mexican coast was mauled and killed by a 13-foot-long great white shark, authorities said.<\/p>\n

The victim, identified by local media outlets as 22-year-old Victor Alejandro Soto Garcia, was attacked by the apex predator on Dec. 29 in the Gulf of California near Playa Tojahui, a beach in the town of Huatabampo, Sonora state, according to Mexico News Daily.<\/p>\n

He was free-diving when a great white estimated to be 13 feet long bit off his left leg, according to reports.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe body of the young man was taken by his fishermen colleagues to the pier in Yavaros,\u201dthe Sonora Civil Protection agency CEPC said.<\/p>\n

Despite life-saving efforts, Garcia died on the spot.<\/p>\n

Garcia was not wearing a shark-repellent bracelet at the time of the deadly attack, agency officials said.<\/p>\n

\"Scallop<\/a>
Scallop fisherman Victor Alejandro Soto Garcia, 22, was killed by a great white shark off the coast of Mexico. Jam Press<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Such devices emit electronic signals or chemicals that are intended to keep sharks from approaching people in the water.<\/p>\n

Some 100 anti-shark bracelets were handed out to local fishermen in Sonora state last year.<\/p>\n

In the wake of the deadly incident, the Sonora Civil Protection agency urged fishermen to \u201chave the necessary preventive measures to carry out their activities.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"People<\/a>
People gather at the scene of the attack. Jam Press<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"Boats<\/a>
Boats seen on the water near the scene of the attack. Jam Press<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Five scallop fishermen were killed by sharks off the coast of Sonora in 2022 and 2023, according to El Financiero.<\/p>\n

Just weeks before Garcia\u2019s death, a 76-year-old Belgian man was killed by either a shark or a crocodile at a beach in Ixtapa, Guerrero.<\/p>\n

In early December, a 26-year-old mother\u2019s life was claimed by a shark in the water off the town of Melaque as she was boosting her child onto a floating platform.<\/p>\n