Seychelles shark attack: It was a Great White

Seychelles shark attack: It was a Great White

Christian Renaud, the surgeon who tried to save Ian said marine specialists quizzed him over the Seychelles attack.He also warned the maneater will return to seek more human prey.Christian added: "They told me it was undoubtedly a Great White Shark."The beast that mutilated Ian as he snorkelled off a beach had killed a French tourist there days before.And Christian, who ferried dying Ian to the beach and tried to keep him alive, said: "This shark came here to hunt. He'll come back, that's for sure."Christian and a friend were on a catamaran 20 yards from Ian when he was mauled in front of horrified bride Gemma.He added: "Everyone was bathing at that spot. I swam myself. Clearly, the predator was around me somewhere. I was lucky. The shark wanted prey. It was the British tourist or me. But I got out of the water five minutes before the attack."Christian, 52, said he was stunned to learn the shark had struck off Anse Lazio beach days before.He added: "No one knew a French tourist was killed a fortnight earlier. The authorities hid the truth so as not to frighten tourists. Without their negligence this Englishman wouldn't have died."Describing the attack on Ian, French holidaymaker Christian said: "He uttered a cry of terror before disappearing underwater."There was an enormous pool of blood. We will never forget it. My family and I are very shocked - and I am a surgeon."Christian bravely hauled Ian's mutilated body from the water as the predator circled.He said: "It was horrible. His left arm was cut off and there was no muscle on his left thigh. You could only see bone."He was still alive but in shock through the violence of the impact."Christian managed to get Ian ashore where teacher Gemma was shaking and sobbing.He said: "We got oxygen bottles from a divers' boat and we gave him adrenaline. But he lost too much blood. I lost him."Christian said US marine scientists who questioned him about the attack are convinced a Great White! Shark w as to blame.Seychelles authorities are saying the killer is either a large bull or tiger shark.But Christian said: "They told me it was undoubtedly a Great White Shark."A fisherman yesterday caught a 40st shark not far from the area where software expert Ian was attacked.But an investigation ruled it was not the killer.Gemma, of Roby, Lancs, arrived back in Britain with Ian's body yesterday.They married ten days before the tragedy.The hotel tour rep who told Ian where to snorkel yesterday admitted he had not mentioned the previous shark attack.George Depinho said: "We just did not think it would happen again."
- www.thesun.co.uk