Family of father who was devoured by sharks off Israeli beach reveals he tried to fend off beasts with Go-Pro stick while attempting to film them in the water
Barak Tzach, 40, was on his way home from work when he decided to go fishing on Olga Beach, Hadera, on Monday.
But the father-of-four was brutally mauled by sharks after swimming out into the sea, with horror footage capturing his final moments as he thrashed around in the water.
Police and emergency services conducted an extensive search operation, with rescue units, and air and naval forces sent out to locate the man from Petah Tikav.
His remains were discovered Tuesday evening but authorities identified the body as Tzach later that night, leaving his family in despair.
Following the confirmation of his identity, Tzach's family have commented on rumours circulating around the circumstances of his death, saying he had visited the beach equipped only with a mask, snorkel, fins and a GoPro camera – without any fish or bait.
'He went into the water to dive and photograph sharks, not to feed them or play with them,' they told Israel National News. 'In a conversation I had with a fisherman who witnessed the incident, I was told that he swam alongside the shark and later moved a little further out'.
'He photographed the sharks from a distance, but did not touch them or feed them. When they started getting too close to him, he used the stick of the GoPro camera to gently push them away.'
But the man wasn't the only one interested in getting close to the predators off Hadera. Videos shared on social media show other beach-goers, including children, standing in the water and marvelling at the sharks as they swam around their legs just moments before the man was attacked
Horrifying footage shows the man flailing in the water during the bloody attack as it quickly turned red.
'I warned him not to go into the sea, and then I received the bitter news,' his friend said, adding that the married father had entered the water to swim with the sharks.
This beach area is said to be well-used among swimmers and surfers, who play with the sharks' fins and throw fish for them to eat.
But according to the JNS, swimming in the water off Olga Beach is prohibited.
The man's haunting last words have been revealed by an eyewitness, who said he screamed: 'I'm bitten, I'm bitten,' as he waved his hands in the air.
'After a few minutes, sharks bit him - and suddenly he disappeared,' the beachgoer told Channel 12 News.
Deputy Fire Chief Doron Almashali said yesterday: 'After a day and a half of intensive effort, we have found what appears to be part of the missing person. Naturally, these findings must undergo thorough examinations by the Israel Police and the Abu Kabir Forensic Institute.
'We will continue working to confirm that we have indeed found the missing individual. We conducted our search pattern based on careful analysis of underwater currents, and it was precisely in that area where the remains were discovered.'
He added that fire service 'sincerely hope we have indeed found the diver who was attacked by the sharks.'
Israel Police added: 'As you can see, we are now on the second day of searching. We are sparing absolutely no resources. The Police Commissioner has instructed us to deploy all available forces to assist with the search effort.
'Several findings have been sent for examination, and we are awaiting the results. Our primary goal is to bring closure to the family. We will continue our efforts until we locate the missing person.'
But the man, who was missing and feared dead after the savage attack but whose remains were found a day later, wasn't the only one interested in getting close to the predators off Hadera.
Videos shared on social media show other beach-goers, including children, standing in the water and marvelling at the sharks as they swam around their legs just moments before the man was attacked.
Some holidaymakers coming to the area to see the sharks would even grab them by their tails and beat them with an oar, according to the chairwoman of the Israeli Shark Association.
The association said people actively approaching the predators was 'unreasonable behaviour'.
Shark attacks in the Mediterranean are extremely rare, with 50 recorded since 1900, and only 11 fatal.
The Hadera Municipality Coastal Department previously said it was 'conducting searches by jet ski to locate the diver and will continue to update as developments occur'.
'We urge the public traveling in the area to avoid entering the water and contact with the sharks,' it added.
Police and rescue workers were deployed to the scene after receiving an emergency call at 3.02pm on Monday.
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