Shark expert issues warning after diver killed in Chatham Islands attack

• A marine biologist warns not to swim near seal colonies or active fishing areas after Jade Kahukore-Dixon’s death.
• Dixon, 24, was killed by a great white shark near the Chatham Islands.
• Auckland Museum’s Clinton Duffy said great whites are apex predators.

A marine biologist has warned people not to swim near seal colonies or active fishing areas after the death of commercial diver Jade Kahukore-Dixon in a shark attack near the Chatham Islands.

Kahukore-Dixon, 24, was named as the victim yesterday.

His grieving father Jacky Dixon told Stuff his son was “an amazing boy” who loved fishing and diving.

He understood his son was killed by a great white shark.

Kahukore-Dixon would often see great white sharks, but wasn’t afraid of them, his dad said.

Auckland Museum marine biology curator Clinton Duffy told Newstalk ZB the Chatham Islands were a famous site for great white sharks.

“It’s one of the world’s hot spots for the species,” he said.

“They congregate around the islands from about this time through to the end of summer and late autumn.

Shark expert Clinton Duffy says the great white is an apex predator that is big enough to take on a human.

“They tend to form groups around seal colonies but can be found almost anywhere around the Chatham Islands.”

Duffy said almost all fatal shark attacks in New Zealand have been by great whites.

“They are an apex predator. Once they reach 3m long, they start to feed on marine mammals,” he said.

“They are a very formidable predator and one of the few sharks around that are big enough to take on a human being.”

Duffy said the best piece of advice for avoiding shark attacks was to avoid diving around seal colonies and areas where fishing was actively occurring.

“Fishing activity can attract several species of sharks.”

Shark expert Clinton Duffy says the Chatham Islands are a hot spot for great white sharks during summer.

He also said dawn and dusk were the times when shark species were most active and hunting prey.

Police confirmed yesterday afternoon a man had been attacked.

“Emergency services were called around midday, following reports the man who had been diving off a boat had been critically injured.”

The man was brought to Waitangi Wharf after the attack and met by emergency services. He was rushed to Chatham Island Health Centre, where he died, police said.

Chatham Islands Mayor Monique Croon said the attack had rocked the island community.

“I flew off the island this morning but many in our community are divers, so everybody is in shock,” Croon said.

Croon said she knew the young man.

“He’s a local boy. He’s well-known, well-liked and this will be devastating for our commercial divers … everybody is in shock,” she told Newstalk ZB.

“It’s the biggest risk, the biggest fear.”

She said the diving community had headed to the hospital to offer their support.

Hato Hone St John said they were notified of an incident near Chatham Island at 11.15am. They responded with one ambulance.

A Flying Doctors Service plane was also sent from Christchurch but had turned around.

The Department of Conservation confirmed it was “aware of a shark attack near the Chatham Islands”.

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