Lost diver’s five-mile race with tiger shark

A DIVER separated from his boat off the coast of Australia said he was lucky to be alive after swimming miles back to shore shadowed by a tiger shark.

John Craig, a spear fisherman, was in the water 500 miles north of Perth, Western Australia, when his boat was swept away by strong currents.

“I put my head in the water… and suddenly saw a huge four-metre tiger shark approaching within arm’s reach,” Craig said.

“I thought I was gone – four nautical miles out to sea with a huge tiger shark following me. I thought this is it, this is how I’m going to die.” The 13ft shark continued to stalk him, keeping pace. Craig kept his spear gun pointed back, at the shark, as he embarked on a swim of “pure endurance”.

He said: “It was easily the biggest tiger shark I’ve been in the water with and that’s saying something, having worked as an instructor for over 10 years.”

Eventually he was spotted and helped ashore by rescuers on a remote beach along the aptly named Shark Bay.

“It’s an absolutely incredible story,” Greg Ridgley, Shark Bay Volunteer Marine Rescue commander, told Perth’s Sunday Times.

“He swam at least five miles in shark-infested waters. I just can’t believe anybody could do that.”

Experts say shark incidents are increasing but fatalities remain rare.