VIDEO | AFM on alert as surfer reports 'shark attack' outside Grand Harbour

Police sources have confirmed with MaltaToday that 35 year-old David Bonavia from Valletta lodged a report with the Valletta police last Saturday, about a “big fish, possibly a shark” that bit his windsurfer sail while it was in the water.

LISTEN TO SURFER DAVID BONAVIA

According to sources, the police are  in possession of the windsurfer that was allegedly "mauled" and have requested the assistance of the forensics department to assist  in the investigations, while the AFM are keeping a look-out in the area.

Bonavia was rescued by a pleasure boat, after being noticed to be in a state of panic, and was later transferred to an AFM patrol boat.

He was then taken to Mater Dei Hospital where it was certified that the surfer was suffering from shock but had no injuries.

The Armed Forces have been alerted and are regularly patrolling the areas off Valletta, Sliema and St. Julians in a bid to trace the shark.

Meanwhile, the report is also finding corroboration in witness reports about a shark in the Valletta, Sliema area also last Saturday.

Commenting on a blog, Clive Xuereb, a sea-sports enthusiast wrote: "I am in a position to confirm a sighting for this fish. I am a kitesurfer who was kiting off exiles Sliema on Saturday afternoon, at a point i spotted a fin 3m away from me, this fish surfaced slowly and went back down on its side."

Contacted by MaltaToday, Clive Xuereb explained that his sighting of the fish was at approximately 200 metres from the Sliema Exiles coast.

"I have seen many dolphins and I can say that this fish was surely not a dolphin, I saw it's fin and it certainly looked like a shark," Xuereb said.

 How do shark attacks happen?

To a shark, a surfer paddling on a surfboard can look a lot like its typical prey. Sharks strike terror into the heart­s of people around the world like no other creatures. Their fearsome appearance, large size, and hostile, alien environment combine­ to make them seem like something straight out of a nightmare. The sudden violence of a shark attack is truly a terrifying experience for the victim -- but are sharks really man-eating monsters with a taste for human flesh?

Why Sharks Attack
Although shark attacks can seem vicious and brutal, it's important to remember that sharks aren't evil creatures constantly on the lookout for humans to attack. They are animals obeying their instincts, like all other animals. As predators at the top of the ocean food chain, sharks are designed to hunt and eat large amounts of meat. A shark's diet consists of other sea creatures -- mainly fish, sea turtles, whales and sea lions and seals. 

Humans are not on the menu. In fact, humans don't provide enough high-fat meat for sharks, which need a lot of energy to power their large, muscular bodies.

If sharks aren't interested in eating humans, why do they attack us?

The first clue comes in the pattern that most shark attacks take. In the majority of recorded attacks, the shark bites the victim, hangs on for a few seconds (possibly dragging the victim through the water or under the surface), and then lets go. It is very rare for a shark to make repeated attacks and actually feed on a human victim. The shark is simply mistaking a human for something it usually eats. Once the shark gets a taste, it realizes that this isn't its usual food, and it lets go.

The shark's confusion is easier to understand once we start to look at things from the shark's point of view. Many attack victims are surfers or people riding boogie boards. A shark swimming below sees a roughly oval shape with arms and legs dangling off, paddling along. This bears a close resemblance to a sea lion (the main prey of great white sharks) or a sea turtle (a common food for tiger sharks).