Great white sinks teeth into trio's boat

A monster shark terrified three Taranaki anglers as it lunged from the water and sank its teeth into the side of their small fishing boat yesterday.

Michelle Dodunski said the 5.5m great white shark was within a few centimetres of her face as it grabbed the boat with its jaws.


The attack is the second incident involving a great white off Taranaki this autumn. A shark recently tore a seal to pieces in front of a boat-load of tourists on a sightseeing trip through a marine reserve off New Plymouth.

Experts say it is highly likely both incidents involved the same shark, which are known to be territorial. They are warning swimmers, surfers and kayakers to be alert.

The latest attack happened when Gary and Michelle Dodunski and Shane Goble were fishing off Motunui, 23km northeast of New Plymouth.

"We saw this big fin heading towards us, and then the shark started to circle," Mr Dodunski said. "Every now and again it would stop and look at us."

He estimated the shark to be at least the size of his 5.5m boat.

The trio had caught fish, but when they tried to pull them in, trouble struck.

Said Mr Goble: "Gary tried to get his fish aboard, but the shark just accelerated in and ate it.

"Then it grabbed Michelle's fish, but spat it out.

"When I tried to lift my fish aboard, the shark launched itself out of the water and on to the side of the boat, so its snout was right between us," he said.

Their boat, Live'N Hope, had deep scratches on its side from the shark's lower teeth.

National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research scientist Dr Malcolm Francis said the shark would probably stay in Taranaki waters.

"They can become residential for months at a time, particularly if there is a seal colony in the area," he said.

"The west coast of the North Island is a good area for great whites. There could easily be a dozen or so of them off the Nga Motu Marine Reserve [near New Plymouth]."

- NZPA