04-19-2012, 01:12 PM
A surfer died today after he was attacked by a Great White shark in South Africa.
The local man, believed to have been aged in his 20s, was body boarding in the Indian Ocean at around midday when the 16 foot beast struck.
Witnesses watched in horror from the beach as the man was dragged underwater by the deadly predator in the sea at Koeel Bay east of Cape Town.
And soon after the fatal attack, the spotlight fell on a National Geographic documentary crew who were accused of risking public safety by luring sharks in close to the shore for filming.
The tragedy happened at the Koeel Bay beach, a popular surfing spot which lies close to the town of Gordon's Bay around 30 miles east of Cape Town.
Today's attack comes after a TV documentary crew was accused of risking public safety by attracting sharks into shallow waters around Cape Town.
Experts this week expressed concern after a team from the National Geographic Channel's 'Shark Men' series starting filming along the region's False Bay coastline.
The popular show aims to debunk myths about Great Whites by allowing viewers close-up access to the beasts.
A team of scientists working for the series in South Africa had aimed to reveal details of the species by attaching trackers to several sharks and following their movements on screen.
However the project raised concern among conservationists after it emerged the film crew were using chum and bait to lure sharks to their boats.
the shark is seen in center of this photo
![[Image: article-2132157-12AB829C000005DC-439_634x471.jpg]](http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2012/04/19/article-2132157-12AB829C000005DC-439_634x471.jpg)
The local man, believed to have been aged in his 20s, was body boarding in the Indian Ocean at around midday when the 16 foot beast struck.
Witnesses watched in horror from the beach as the man was dragged underwater by the deadly predator in the sea at Koeel Bay east of Cape Town.
And soon after the fatal attack, the spotlight fell on a National Geographic documentary crew who were accused of risking public safety by luring sharks in close to the shore for filming.
The tragedy happened at the Koeel Bay beach, a popular surfing spot which lies close to the town of Gordon's Bay around 30 miles east of Cape Town.
Today's attack comes after a TV documentary crew was accused of risking public safety by attracting sharks into shallow waters around Cape Town.
Experts this week expressed concern after a team from the National Geographic Channel's 'Shark Men' series starting filming along the region's False Bay coastline.
The popular show aims to debunk myths about Great Whites by allowing viewers close-up access to the beasts.
A team of scientists working for the series in South Africa had aimed to reveal details of the species by attaching trackers to several sharks and following their movements on screen.
However the project raised concern among conservationists after it emerged the film crew were using chum and bait to lure sharks to their boats.
the shark is seen in center of this photo