Did Red Bull save Mick Fanning from shark? Sponsor under fire over press conference

Australian surf champion Mick Fanning (R) and his friend Julian Wilson (L) recount their close encounter with a shark at a press conference held in Sydney after they flew in from South Africa on July

Red Bull and Rip Curl have been accused of hijacking Mick Fanning's near-death encounter with a shark.

The companies' logos featured prominently in a media conference Fanning and fellow surfer Julian Wilson held after the shark attack.

Photo / Business Insider

Both sponsor the Surf League J-Bay Open competition, during which the attack occurred, and both contribute to the bank accounts of Fanning and Wilson, both of whom earn more than $2 million through corporate sponsorships.

Wilson, who swam to save Fanning from the shark, and Fanning himself held Red Bull cans and sipped from them during the half-hour-long interview.

Wilson wore a cap with the Red Bull logo and Fanning one with Rip Curl's front and centre. Behind them were two surf boards emblazoned with the companies' logos.

You could be forgiven they were doing an advert for the companies - and the point wasn't lost on social media:

Red Bull has never seen a Shark attack blood bath not worth sponsoring

— ray a drop of golden sun (@ptezu) July 21, 2015

Drink RED BULL repel a Shark

— John (@John_Hanna) July 21, 2015

"So I gave that Red Bull a shot..." pic.twitter.com/0Yg1UhACqm

— James Jeffrey (@James_Jeffrey) July 21, 2015

THANKS SHARK, THANKS REDBULL. FFS. #Fanning pic.twitter.com/aloT4G8HDz

— Andy Park (@andy_park) July 21, 2015