Allan Oppert, a 42-year-old prison officer from Binningup in Western Australia, survived a terrifying great white shark attack during a routine diving trip in January. The incident occurred at a popular dive site known as 'the crater', a cylindrical cavity on the ocean floor about 33 metres deep, where Oppert and five friends were spearfishing for crayfish.
Oppert had already completed two dives and was descending alone for a third when he spotted the shark inside the crater below. 'The shark is going over to one spot and having a look and going over to another and having a sniff. These sharks are like dogs, in their gestures and in their behaviour,' he recalled. Despite the imminent danger, Oppert maintained a cool head, reinflating his buoyancy vest to halt his descent.
The shark struck in a split second, hitting Oppert in the guts with its nose and clamping down on both legs. 'The pressure was so great that I thought if it gets any tighter, they'll snap – she'll snap both my legs off,' he said. His steel speargun, positioned across his thigh, likely prevented the shark's teeth from gaining full purchase above his knee.
When the shark released its grip, Oppert's inflated vest shot him to the surface, where he raised the alarm and was pulled to safety. The attack occurred just four years after a fatal shark attack on a suburban beach in the same region, highlighting the persistent risk in Western Australian waters.
