A dad-of-four who was horrifically killed by sharks at a popular tourist destination desperately tried to fight the predators off with a GoPro, it has been reported. Barak Tzach, aged 40, has now been confirmed as the man who died following a two-day search.
Police have confirmed remains that had been found at the site of the attack on Israel’s Mediterranean coast matched those of Barak Tzach, aged 40, from Petach Tikva. Distressing footage shows the moment the man appeared to be battling with the predator in the sea off Hadera, Israel, in front of horrified crowds.
Forensic tests conducted at the Abu Kabir Institute later confirmed the remains belonged to Tzach, who had entered the water armed only with “a mask, snorkel, fins and a GoPro camera – without any fish or bait.” His final moments were caught on footage showing him thrashing in the water before it turned red.
A relative told Israel National News: “In a conversation I had with a fisherman who witnessed the incident. I was told that he swam alongside the shark and later moved a little further out.
“He photographed the sharks from a distance, but did not touch them or feed them. When they started getting too close to him, he used the stick of the GoPro camera to gently push them away.”
Witnesses described hearing the swimmer’s desperate screams for help as he shouted “they’re biting me” before he started thrashing around and was pulled under the water. Moments before the attack the shark was filmed swimming between children’s legs in the sea in the shallow waters as stunned beachgoers watched on, unable to help.
In a Facebook post, a woman identified by Israeli media as Tzach’s wife, said he had entered the waters with snorkelling gear and an underwater camera. It was not his first time swimming in this part of the sea, she said.
“In a conversation I had with a fisherman who witnessed the incident, I was told that he swam alongside a shark and later moved slightly away in a more open direction,” she wrote. “He filmed the sharks from a distance but didn’t touch or feed them.
“When they started to get too close to him, he used the GoPro’s stick to gently push them away. The fisherman called him back to shore, and Barak started swimming slowly toward him – and then he was attacked.”
Police and emergency services now say they are continuing to search for more remains, after their gruesome find on Tuesday. “We express our sincere condolences to the family who was informed of the results. We will accompany them throughout the complex process,” officers said.
Deputy Fire Chief Doron Almashali added: “After a day and a half of intensive effort, we have found what appears to be part of the missing person. Naturally, these findings must undergo thorough examinations. We conducted our search pattern based on careful analysis of underwater currents, and it was precisely in that area where the remains were discovered.”
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