Abu Dhabi divers save young shark during shipwreck trip


Gillian Duncan
  • English
  • Arabic

Divers exploring a shipwreck in Abu Dhabi have rescued a young shark that was fighting for its life.

The group of eight had been diving near Lion City, a sunken tanker about 35 nautical miles off the coast, when they spotted the fish. It was snagged on a foam block by a hook caught in its mouth.

At first they thought it was a turtle, but when they got closer they could see it was a shark. The fish, a blacktip reef shark, which was about a year old, appeared to be running out of energy.

“That's an old traditional way of fishing, because the hook was right on the block,” said Kathleen Russell, a member of the diving group that had been on its way to another dive site, the MV Ludwig, when they found the shark.

“We were in deep water, about 29 or 30 metres of water, and you normally don't see a shark on the surface in the middle of the water,” said Ms Russell, who owns Al Mahara Dive Centre.

“It wasn’t able to dive down, and when it did come down a bit, it came back up again. It was dragging the block the whole time.”

She turned the shark over to induce tonic immobility, a hypnosis-like state, before another diver with gloves removed the hook.

“We wanted to at least cut the foam. But we were able to completely take the hook out, which was great. We were very lucky,” Ms Russell said.

“We didn’t see any blood or anything.”

They then turned the shark over and it swam away.

“It was quite special for us as divers in the community,” Ms Russell said.

“In all the years I have done this, I have never jumped in and taken a hook off a shark.

“It would have died if we hadn’t. And I hope it will survive now. It did swim away properly and cautiously. But I think it was probably really exhausted.”

Blacktip reef sharks are among the most common sharks inhabiting the tropical coral reefs of the Indian and Pacific oceans.

Described as timid and skittish they do not pose a danger to people, but have been known to mistakenly bite those wading through shallow water.

They are relatively common but classed as vulnerable by the International Union for Conservation of Nature.


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if you go

The flights
The closest international airport to the TMB trail is Geneva (just over an hour’s drive from the French ski town of Chamonix where most people start and end the walk). Direct flights from the UAE to Geneva are available with Etihad and Emirates from about Dh2,790 including taxes.

The trek
The Tour du Mont Blanc takes about 10 to 14 days to complete if walked in its entirety, but by using the services of a tour operator such as Raw Travel, a shorter “highlights” version allows you to complete the best of the route in a week, from Dh6,750 per person. The trails are blocked by snow from about late October to early May. Most people walk in July and August, but be warned that trails are often uncomfortably busy at this time and it can be very hot. The prime months are June and September.

 

 

The specs

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Power: 261hp at 5,500rpm

Torque: 405Nm at 1,750-3,500rpm

Transmission: 9-speed auto

Fuel consumption: 6.9L/100km

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Price: From Dh117,059

Sarfira

Director: Sudha Kongara Prasad

Starring: Akshay Kumar, Radhika Madan, Paresh Rawal 

Rating: 2/5

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Updated: July 12, 2021, 8:31 AM`