Diver killed by sharks was a dad of 4 who tried to use GoPro stick to beat back predators

The diver killed by sharks disconnected nan seashore of Israel has been identified arsenic a begetter of 4 who utilized a GoPro camera instrumentality to effort and fend disconnected nan predators, according to his grieving family.

Barak Tzach, 40, jumped successful nan h2o to movie nan sharks astatine nan formation successful Hadera erstwhile a chilling video showed him flailing successful nan water, yelling for help, arsenic he was attacked and dragged retired to sea.

When nan sharks started getting excessively close, he utilized nan instrumentality of nan GoPro to “push them away,” his family told Israel National News.

The grieving relatives denied rumors that nan dada had been trying to provender nan sharks — arsenic others were filmed doing astatine nan aforesaid formation nan erstwhile week — and did not person immoderate bait erstwhile he went successful nan water pinch only a mask, snorkel, fins and nan mini action camera.

“He went into nan h2o to dive and photograph sharks, not to provender them aliases play pinch them,” Tzach’s family said.

A fisherman who witnessed nan terrifying onslaught told nan family that Tzach “swam alongside nan shark and later moved a small further out. He photographed nan sharks from a distance, but did not touch them aliases provender them.” 

Tzach, of Petach Tikva adjacent Tel Aviv, was heard screaming, “They’re biting me!” earlier being dragged further retired to oversea connected Monday, according to The Times of Israel. 

“They’re eating him, eating nan man!” 1 terrified witnesser cried, according to disturbing video circulating connected societal media.

Human remains were later discovered astir 24 hours later connected Tuesday aft officials unopen down nan formation and launched a monolithic hunt successful nan area pinch divers, jetskis and helicopters. 

The remains were later identified arsenic Tzach.

Police said successful an update that “the hunt will proceed to find further findings and we definitive our sincere condolences to nan family who was informed of nan results. We will travel them passim nan analyzable process,” Israel National News reported.

The nonstop breed of shark was not instantly known, however, marine life experts judge they were apt dusky aliases sandbar ones, which are typically harmless to humans and person been known to aquatics disconnected Hadera’s shores for years.

Dusky sharks tin scope up to 13 feet agelong and measurement 750 pounds, whereas sandbar sharks are smaller, increasing to astir 8 feet and 220 pounds.

Yigael Ben-Ari, caput of marine rangers astatine nan Israel Nature and Parks Authority, said this would beryllium conscionable nan 3rd shark onslaught recorded successful Israel successful nan past 80 years.