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](https://www.nzherald.co.nz/resizer/v2/ISNYV6WONFHTZERS7HGMQDZUTE.jpg?auth=6ed464af2e9f26a7a4be6a97054d470b94e479fbada7ba7d61bf7dfbe0403fa4&width=16&height=9&quality=70&smart=true)
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.