New Zealand fishing content creator Henry Gibbs narrowly escaped losing his leg in a shark attack while snorkeling in Fiji on July 18. The incident, captured on video, occurred during one of Gibbs's initial dives in the area.
Gibbs was spear fishing when a grey reef shark approached him. Fellow divers quickly assisted Gibbs, pulling him from the water and providing immediate care for the wound before transporting him to a local hospital. The attack resulted in significant injury to his right leg, necessitating four surgeries and a skin graft. Despite the severity of the injuries, Gibbs retained full use of his leg and foot and is expected to make a full recovery.
Following the public announcement of the attack on July 24, footage of the encounter was shared with Gibbs's 113,000 online followers. He expressed gratitude for his recovery, stating, "Feeling incredibly lucky to still have my leg, full use of my foot and to be on the mend." He added that he holds "no hard feelings towards the shark," acknowledging that he was "in its environment hunting its food."
Gibbs speculated that the commotion from their boat, the sounds of spearguns, and general activity in the water may have agitated the shark. He described the animal as making "tight semicircles beneath us, became increasingly agitated and even sprinted at the boat." He also noted that he did not anticipate a shark of that size posing a significant threat, a misjudgment he now regrets.
Gibbs shared safety advice for others encountering sharks, recommending ending a dive if a shark's behavior changes, considering plain black wetsuits in tropical waters as an alternative to camouflage, and not ignoring aggressive shark behavior. He emphasized the importance of not underestimating the risk based on a shark's size.