A diver has been slaughtered by a Great White shark on the coast of Mexico in front of a shocked fisherman.
As reported by The Mirror, a man in his 50s named Manuel Lopez was diving for mollusks off of San Jose Beach in Tobari Bay when he was attacked by the deadly creature on January 5.
The outlet said that Lopez was collecting ax tripe - a mollusk like a scallop - which is located at a depth of up to 59 feet, in a process that causes turbulence and makes sounds that could attract sharks.
Onlookers said that the man was diving at around 11:30AM when he was tragically attacked and had his head separated from his body by the 19-foot-long shark.
Fisherman Jose Bernal told the publication that Lopez "was diving when the animal attacked him, ripping off his head and biting both shoulders".
He added that several sharks had been spotted in the waters in the days leading up to the attack and that fellow fishermen were also looking out for the animals.
"Local divers had been warned about the presence of sharks in the area and most had not been out for several days," Bernal explained.
The Great white sharks are dominant both in the Sea of Cortez, especially during the months of December and January when pregnant sharks make their way to the waters to feed.
Due to the unfortunate incident, many locals have refrained from entering the waters, but, the seafood shortage and economic hardship in the city have caused an increased demand for many divers like Lopez to brave the dangerous waters.
The scary creatures can become as large as 20 feet long, weigh up to two tonnes, and has many as 300 jagged teeth. They have a powerful sense of smell and can glide as fast as 35 mph when hunting sea lions, seals, dolphins, as well as turtles.
According to The Independent, many professionals have stated that humans may be mistaken for seals, especially when dressed in wetsuits.
Local biologists are now urging divers not to wear black wetsuits but instead paint white stripes on their outfits to make them look like a poisonous coral snake, per Tracking Sharks.
In addition to this, the outlet added that attacks on humans by sharks are often regarded as experimental. It is noted that they often swim away after one bite when they see that it is not their intended target, however, a single bite on a human can lead to death.
