Man Decapitated by 19-Foot Great White Shark in Mexico While Fishing

Manuel Lopez was diving in search of callo de hacha, a mollusk native to Mexico, in great demand by the restaurant industry, however, while staying on the coast of the Gulf of California, a great white shark fatally attacked him.

According to witnesses, the large 19-foot shark killed the man instantly, according to the Tracking Sharks site, which presents information on shark attacks around the world with the aim of preventing fatal encounters.

“He was diving when the animal attacked him, impressively ripping off his head and biting into both shoulders,” one witness, speaking for the fisherman, told Tracking Sharks.

First fatal #SharkAttack of 2023. https://t.co/0lPAXwpyqT#greatwhiteshark pic.twitter.com/npgfV6zMW5

— Tracking Sharks (@trackingsharks) January 27, 2023

According to Tracking Sharks, the victim was collecting ax tripe at depths of 36 to 59 feet, when a great white shark appeared and decapitated him in front of surprised fishermen. It would be the first deadly shark attack of 2023.

According to local media reports, prior to the attack, there were sightings of several sharks in the waters, so the fishermen had been taking care of the animals.

“Local divers had been warned about the presence of sharks in the area and most did not go in the water for several days,” it was mentioned.

Some people had abstained due to shark sightings. But the shellfish shortage caused increased demand in the area, prompting López to decide to dive.

Great white sharks can be up to 20 feet long and weigh up to two tons, with up to 300 serrated teeth.

Having a strong sense of smell, sharks can swim at speeds of up to 35 mph, typically hunting seals, sea lions, dolphins, and turtles.

Experts say humans can be mistaken for seals, especially when wearing wetsuits, and attacks on humans are often considered “experimental.”