We all have heard that sharks do not normally prey on humans. But what if they did? This is the story of a crazy shipwreck that caused nearly 1000 people to perish not only by drowning and starvation but, because of shark attacks too.
Where did the massive shark attack happen?
The massive shark attack happened during WW2 in Pearl Harbour when the USS Indianapolis got wrecked in the Pacific Ocean. After being attacked by a Japanese ship Imperial Japanese Navy submarine I-58., it was a mere 12 minutes before the ship completely sank, killing 300 people onboard and 890 people stranded in the Pacific Ocean.
Unfortunately for the WW2 soldiers who thought they had survived the shipwreck, they would soon realize that the sunken ship was only the beginning of the problem. Some would starve and many would suffer from severe dehydration and about 100 would not survive the fatal shark attack from the white-tipped sharks.
How did the sharks attack the WW2 soldiers?
The disturbance from the attack and the sinking of the ship attracted the sharks and what seemed to attract them was the blood from the injured soldiers.
Sharks do not usually hunt humans but usually go for smaller fish, invertebrates, and seals. However, this incident threw light on how opportunistic the sharks are. Initially, the ones being hunted and eaten were the injured victims.
The soldiers who were alive would try and stay away from the soldiers who were already dead in the hopes that the sharks would not come for them.
White-tipped sharks are one of the most aggressive sharks, they were in their territory. The soldiers who were alive had to ration their food which included spam. Unfortunately for them, this spam acted as ‘chum’ for the sharks which acted as bait for them. As the number of corpses decreased, then the attacks on the live victims increased. As stated before, these aggressive creatures increased.
Did the WW2 soldiers survive the massive shark attack?
After four days, a navy plane spotted and helped them, and around midnight USS Doyle came to their rescue. There were 1196 soldiers on the ship and 300 lost their lives with the sinking ship. 900 of the soldiers holding onto their lives; scared, starving, and dehydrated were rescued by the Navy Plane and the USS Doyle.
This is one of the most massive and tragic shark attacks in history. You hear cases of shark attacks, some not so serious and some fatal. But you should know that shark attacks are very rare, but rare does not mean it would never happen.
Some sharks are big enough to bite a human in half. Has that happened? Not really. But it is not the smartest decision to push your luck, you do not want to be the first example of a human being bitten in half by a shark.
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FAQs
What was the worst shark attack in history?
The attack by sharks in World War 2. Just 317 of the approximately 900 men who survived the onslaught were rescued after spending four days in waters rife with sharks.
What shark attacks humans the most?
52 fatalities and 333 incidents of unprovoked attacks are the highest number of attacks by great white sharks.
Who was the man eaten alive by a shark in Egypt?
The man, identified as Vladimir Popov, was devoured by a shark in 1999.
What is the most evil shark in the world?
Bull sharks, tiger sharks, and the great whites have reportedly been the most aggressive sharks who have attacked humans.
Which country has the most shark attacks?
The USA and Australia have recorded the most unprovoked attacks in history with 200 deaths in Australia and 38 deaths in the USA.
What is the fastest shark?
The shortfin Mako is the fastest shark today.
Why do shark attacks happen?
Study shows that the main attacks on surfers are major because they look very similar to seals. Sharks do not usually hunt humans but when they do it is mainly because it is an easy meal(when the human is injured and bleeding).