SA has world's 'deadliest beach'

It is being dubbed by international media as the "world's deadliest beach", after the sixth fatal shark attack in five years.

Second Beach, in the popular tourist town of Port St Johns, was the scene of yet another tragic shark attack yesterday when a bather was bitten in waist-deep water.

Witnesses say the man, believed to be in his mid-20s, was swimming with a crowd of others when the shark bit him on his torso, arms and legs.

He was treated on the beach and then rushed to a local clinic, but died on arrival.

The KZN Sharks Board's Mike Anderson-Reade says the Wild Coast has similar shark species to the KZN coast with Zambezi - or bull - sharks, tiger sharks and great whites prevalent. Bull sharks are thought to be responsible for many of the incidents at Port St Johns.

Anderson-Reade has explained one of the reasons why Second Beach is notorious for attacks is because of a massive river mouth nearby.

"You've got the Umzimvubu River which is a very large river flowing off the East Coast of South Africa, and I think that is an attractant especially to bull sharks. We believe that the bull sharks are using that for a nursery area; they are going in there to drop their young."

The attack comes exactly a year to the day that provincial surfer Zama Ndamase was killed at the same beach.

Anderson-Reade has added shark nets probably aren't an option at the beach, because it is such a productive area for sharks.

He says there seems to be a seasonal pattern to the attacks, which have all happened in the months between December and March.

"Unfortunately it's a beautiful beach, the water is very inviting but it is just one of those beaches where one must be very, very careful and probably just stay very close to shore."

The KZN Sharks Board was last year commissioned by the Environmental Affairs Department to probe which species of shark occur in the area to the north and south of Port St Johns, and monitor their behaviour.

Once will wrap up towards the end of the year, and they will then present a report to national government.

- East Coast Radio