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10/30/2004 Andre Hartman (South Africa)

Shark Attack Survivors News Archive for Shark Attacks in 2004.
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Shark bites cage-dive operator

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Shark bites cage-dive operator
31/10/2004 22:16 - (SA)

Andre Hartman, a shark expert and cage-dive operator, had a close call when a Great White shark bit his foot near Gansbaai. (Die Burger)

Abigail Isaacs

Cape Town - A world-famous shark expert and cage-dive operator had a close call on Sunday when a Great White shark bit his foot.

André Hartman, 52, was busy chumming - trying to attract sharks - during the incident.

According to JP Botha, a colleague who was on the boat with him, Hartman sat on the boat's engine and dangled his foot over the side of the boat.

Botha and Hartman were taking clients from the Czech and Slovak republics for a dive with the sharks.

"André watched how a shark approach the boat and then swim away. He looked away for split-second as someone on the boat spoke to him," Botha said.

"When he looked in the direction of the water again, he saw the shark going for his foot.

"After a stroke in January that affected his right leg, he couldn't move it as fast as he had to. For this reason he did not get his foot out of the water in time and got bitten by the shark," Botha said.

Botha said Hartman was not seriously injured, although the wound bled a lot. According to Botha, everyone on the boat stayed calm during the incident.

"We were about 2 km from the dock. We were back in a flash, and André was taken to the doctor's rooms.

'Freak accident'

The doctor treated Hartman's wound and he was sent home with 20 stitches to his foot.

According to Botha, Hartman wanted to go out on the boat again on Sunday. "He has to rest for a full week, however, to give his foot the chance to fully recover."

Botha, who describes the incident as a "freak accident", believes it's the first time in eight years that something like this has happened.

According to him there is no "logical connection between the throwing of bait" and what happened to Hartman.

There was an uproar earlier this year about the use of bait by shark-cage divers.

Those opposed to the use of bait are of the opinion that cage divers endanger the public because sharks start associating people with food.

It is feared that this could lead to an increase in shark attacks.
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10/30/2004 Andre Hartman (South Africa)

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10/30/2004 Andre Hartman 52
Right ankle & foot lacerated Gansbaai
Western Cape Province South Africa Chumming for white sharks Morning 2m White Shark
sharkbait
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Post by sharkbait »

It's only a scratch, says man bitten by shark
Babalo Ndenze
November 02 2004 at 01:28PM

As a shark tour operator one was often injured on a boat, Andre Hartman said after a baby Great White shark bit him on the foot at the weekend.

"If you play with blades you are likely to get cut, but it's only a scratch and it happens all the time. I've been cut on my finger a few times and this is the same," said Hartman.

"While I was talking to a tourist from the Czech Republic I was dangling my right foot over the side of the boat and was bitten by a baby white shark."

"They were just taking nice pictures and no one was watching. My foot was dangling above the water when the shark arrived," said Hartman.

'My foot was dangling above the water when the shark arrived'
He said he had turned his head for a few seconds when the two-metre shark took a bite at his foot.

"They don't really see the bait and go for the smell and my foot was there. It was my own fault, but I suffered only three puncture holes," said Hartman.

He said he had been a shark operator for about eight years.

http://www.int.iol.co.za/index.php?set_ ... 994C880084
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