An Israeli man has died following a rare shark attack off the coast of Hadera, in what authorities are calling one of the country’s few such incidents in decades.
The victim, 40-year-old Barak Tzach from Petach Tikva, had entered the Mediterranean Sea on Monday to film sharks using a GoPro camera attached to a handheld stick.
According to family members, Tzach—an experienced diver and father of four—was in the water to document the marine animals, not to feed or interact with them.
A disturbing video, widely shared online, captured Tzach in distress as he shouted for help while surrounded by sharks. Witnesses reported seeing him struggling before being dragged further out to sea.
Family members, speaking to local media, dismissed rumors that Tzach had been attempting to lure the sharks with bait. They stated that he entered the water with standard diving equipment and no food or bait of any kind. “He went into the water to dive and record the sharks, not to provoke or play with them,” one relative said.
A fisherman who observed the scene corroborated this account, saying Tzach kept a respectful distance and did not attempt to feed or touch the animals. He noted that the diver had only used his camera stick to push the sharks away when they came too close.
Rescue teams launched an extensive search operation shortly after the incident, deploying boats, divers, helicopters, and jet skis. Human remains recovered the following day were later identified as Tzach’s. Authorities have continued to search for additional remains and other evidence connected to the incident.
The species of shark involved in the attack has not been officially confirmed. However, marine experts believe that it may have involved either dusky sharks or sandbar sharks—both of which are commonly seen in the region but are generally not considered dangerous to humans.
Dusky sharks can grow up to 13 feet in length and weigh around 750 pounds, while sandbar sharks typically measure about 8 feet and weigh up to 220 pounds.
Yigael Ben-Ari, head of the marine rangers unit at the Israel Nature and Parks Authority, noted that shark attacks are sporadic in Israeli waters. He said that this was only the third such incident documented in the country in the past 80 years.
Authorities expressed condolences to Tzach’s family and pledged to continue monitoring the area to ensure public safety.
