Yuri Alves, a shark excursion guide in the Maldives originally from Dénia, asserts that the safety protocols of his company, Shadowpalm, are strict. His statements come after a man from Alicante lost a leg due to a shark bite during his honeymoon. The victim's family denounces serious negligence on the part of the contracted company, while Alves insists that all industry standards are followed.
The technical protocol that separates the tourist from the predator 🦈
At Shadowpalm, the protocol includes observation cages with 12 mm stainless steel bars, as well as a controlled bait system that is released 50 meters from the group. The monitors carry an ultrasound device that emits low-frequency signals to deter sharks without harming them. According to Alves, each excursion has two safety divers monitoring the perimeter. However, critics point out that these systems fail if the animal becomes disoriented or if the bait gets too close to the swimmers.
The shark that didn't read the safety manual 😅
Apparently, the shark was not given the rule booklet nor did it attend the pre-briefing. While Yuri Alves defends that everything is under control, the shark continues its life unaware that it should respect the protocols. The victim's family, for their part, wonders if the next step will be to ask sharks to sign an informed consent before biting. Meanwhile, in Dénia, some locals joke that the only real danger is that the monitor forgets the bait and ends up being the appetizer.