(NewsReady.com) – “Jaws” brought the dangers of shark attacks into movie theaters and living rooms across the world in the 1970s. Actual shark attacks are relatively uncommon, with only 32 provoked bites and 57 unprovoked bites globally in 2022. However, three men recently had a scary experience with some angry marine animals.
On September 6, the Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA) announced the rescues of three people in the Coral Sea, south of Cairns. They responded to an emergency radio beacon at about 1:30 a.m. local time and found a 30-foot inflatable catamaran in the water. Three people were on the vessel, including two Russians and one Frenchman.
The men were more than 500 miles off the coast of Australia when several sharks attacked their vessel. The boat sustained damage to both of its hulls, rendering it useless. The crew was on the latest stage of a trip around the world when their catamaran came under attack.
The first attack reportedly happened on Monday, September 4. Cookiecutter sharks struck the catamaran and caused it to partly submerge. Despite the damage to the vessel, it continued sailing for more than 100 miles. The next day, more sharks attacked it, which caused it to start sinking.
Joe Zeller, an AMSA senior manager, issued a statement saying the catamaran was missing “large sections of its hull” and the “emergency beacon absolutely saved their lives.” Zeller was on duty when officials received the emergency call.
NBC News identified those on board as Evgeny Kovalevsky, Vincent Thomas Etienne, and Stanislav Berezkin. A spokesperson for the expedition celebrated the fact that the three sailors were safe. They said it was “the most important thing.” The sharks did a number on the vessel, though, and it couldn’t be saved. The spokesperson went on to say, “The fate of the expedition will be clear” soon.
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