Divers investigating a woman killed by a tiger shark discovered the remains of another human, a new BBC programme reveals.
The new BBC documentary, Why Sharks Attack, explores why there has been an increase in shark attacks over the years.
We hear about an attack that took place on 2 July 2022, when Austrian tourist Elisabeth Sauer, 68, was bitten by a shark while snorkelling in the shallow waters of Sahl Hasheesh resort, Egypt.
A severely injured Sauer - a member of the Green Party in Kramsach - managed to swim back to shore, but sadly died in the ambulance while being transported to the nearest hospital.
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Authorities shut down the beach area for three days while investigations took place, with investigator finding mutilated remains a few hundred metres along the bay – remains that belonged to another person.
The body was eventually identified as Romanian tourist Roxana Donisan, 44, who had been travelling alone, meaning there were no eyewitnesses for her death as there had been for Sauer.
Ralph Collier from the Shark Research Institute, explained: “They had to investigate two incidents and uncover which came first.
“Now they had a big jigsaw puzzle they had to put together.”
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Collier said it was a ‘feeding event’ saying the remains of Donisan showed it was ‘obvious she had been in the water for some time’.
“This woman unfortunately was killed and the shark returned on an unknown number of occasions to remove portions of her in feeding,” he added.
Last month, a 23-year-old Russian man was mauled to death by a tiger shark in the Red Sea just meters from the shore, with his father watching on in horror.
The attack happened not far from Sauer’s and Donisan’s.
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“Science around shark attacks is limited, so for the first time, the shark in question was caught and scientists were able to conduct research from this shark to get a better understanding of why shark attacks are currently so prevalent,” a press release for the programme says.
“One discovery revealed that the shark was pregnant and hunger could have been the reason.”
Why Sharks Attack also features the story of 17-year-old Addison Bethea, who lost a portion of her leg in a savage attack involving a 9ft shark in Florida last summer.
Thankfully Addison survived to tell the tale and is happy to speak out about what happened.
“An innovative mix of current-affairs investigation and scientific analysis, this documentary explores what could have caused not just the attacks in the Red Sea, but also other recent and unusual shark encounters around the world, including in the waters off Sydney and Florida,” the press release continues.
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“Striking CGI reveals the fearsome physiology and behaviour of these creatures close-up, by exploring the ‘modus operandi’ of each of these ferocious predators – from how their powerful jaws work, or the way their giant livers store immense energy reserves to help them survive long periods between meals.”
Watch Why Sharks Attack tonight at 8pm on BBC One.
Topics: TV and Film, BBC, Documentaries, Animals, Sharks
Jess Hardiman