Strung up shark horrifies divers

 

Dive photographer Robbert Westerdyk and a group of friends made the gruesome discovery of a tied up mako shark at the HMAS Adelaide wreck on the NSW central coast.

A dead two-metre shark that was found strung up by its tail and slashed across the torso in waters off the NSW central coast was probably still alive when it was targeted, according to a diver who discovered the "horrifying" scene.
Robbert Westerdyk, a member of the Terrigal Underwater Group, had just finished a dive at the HMAS Adelaide shipwreck off Avoca Beach on Saturday morning when he and a group of fellow divers saw a large shadow in the water as they prepared to leave.
"I think it still must have had a bit of life and it was still maybe trying to fight"
The divers swam over to investigate, and were confronted with a shocking scene: a two-metre, 120-kilogram mako shark suspended on a mooring rope near the shipwreck's bow.

The shark was found near Terrigal and Avoca beaches.  The shark was found near Avoca Beach. Photo: Robbert Westerdyk

The dead shark appeared to have been deliberately tied up, and also had been stabbed on its torso.
"It was strung around the tail, probably 9, 10, 11, 12 times," Mr Westerdyk said.
"It was really strung up tight by the tail, and then there was a big gash right across the torso of the shark.

The shark was discovered near the wreck of HMAS Adelaide. The shark was discovered near the wreck of HMAS Adelaide. Photo: Robbert Westerdyk

"We were trying to think of what could have done this. It certainly didn't happen by itself. It's certainly had intervention there by some means.
"It was just a horrifying thing to see.
"I don't even think the shark was fully dead at the time because of the way it was quite gnarled and twisted. I think it still must have had a bit of life and it was still maybe trying to fight."

Mystery: investigators are trying to find out why this shark was killed and tied up. Mystery: it is not known why this shark was killed and tied up. Photo: Robbert Westerdyk

Mr Westerdyk, who is a keen underwater photographer, took some images of the shark and forwarded them to the NSW Department of Primary Industries, which is investigating the incident.
The divers then cut the shark free and it floated away.
Mr Westerdyk said while it was not illegal to fish for mako sharks, the shark was found within the 200-metre exclusion zone around the HMAS Adelaide.

The shark was slashed and then tied up in the water. The shark was slashed and then tied up in the water. Photo: Robbert Westerdyk