A Western Australian man who survived a great white shark attack while diving has returned to the water just days later, this time on water skis. Allan Oppert, a 42-year-old prison officer, was attacked while diving for crayfish near Binningup in the state's south-west corner.
During his third dive of the day, Oppert encountered a massive great white shark inside an underwater crater. The shark struck him, clamping its jaws on both legs. Despite the severe injuries, Oppert managed to keep his breathing regulator in place and reinflate his buoyancy vest, which propelled him to the surface.
Remarkably, Oppert was back on the water within days, water skiing. He told reporters that he refused to let the attack dictate his life. 'I love the ocean, and I wasn't going to let one bad experience ruin that,' he said.
The attack occurred at a popular dive site about 15 minutes by boat from shore. Oppert's survival was aided by a steel speargun that prevented the shark's teeth from fully penetrating his leg above the knee. The incident has once again highlighted the risks posed by great white sharks in Western Australian waters, a global hotspot for shark encounters.
