Israel: Diver Presumed Dead After Rare Shark Attack

Published APR 22 2025

Story

Above: A shark passes by a rescue team on a jet boat as they are searching for evidence after a diver was attacked by sharks in the water of Hadera in the Mediterranean Sea on April 22, 2025 in Hadera, Israel. Image credit: Amir Levy/Contributor/Getty Images News via Getty Images

The Facts

A 40-year-old diver is presumed dead after encountering sharks near the Hadera power station in Israel on Monday, marking the first fatal shark attack in Israel's modern history.
Timesofisrael
BBC News
Eyewitnesses captured footage of the tragic incident showing the diver thrashing in the water while calling for help, with the victim reportedly shouting "I'm bitten" before disappearing beneath the surface as the water turned red.
Timesofisrael
The National News
The attack occurred in a prohibited swimming area near the Orot Rabin power station, where dusky and sandbar sharks regularly gather during winter months due to warm water discharge and recent fish die-offs in nearby streams.
BBC News
Timesofisrael
Daily Mail
Emergency services including police, marine units, and rescue teams launched an extensive search operation using helicopters, jet skis, and underwater cameras to locate the victim's remains. Authorities closed the beach indefinitely.
The Jerusalem Post
Timesofisrael
JFeed
The incident represents only the fourth documented shark attack in Israel's history, with shark attacks being extremely rare in the Mediterranean, where only 50 attacks have been recorded since 1900, with 11 proving fatal.
The New Arab
BBC News
Recently, Hadera has become a seasonal meeting place for dusky and sandbar sharks, which are not usually aggressive. Following Monday's incident, conservationists urged for better safety protocols to protect swimmers.
The New Arab
BBC News

Sources Split

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RIGHT

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ESTAB

The Spin

Narrative A

Sharks are dangerous predators. With their aggressive behavior and rare but terrifying attacks on humans, they pose a real threat. These man-eaters should be controlled to protect public safety, and their population should be managed through measures like hunting and use in culinary practices.

Yahoo! News

Narrative B

Sharks are often seen as deadly predators, but only a small fraction of the over 300 species have attacked humans, usually out of curiosity or confusion. Sharks evolved millions of years before humans and aren't naturally inclined to attack. In fact, sharks face greater threats from humans due to overfishing.