A man was killed this week after being attacked by a shark off the coast near Hadera, in an area known for frequent shark activity.
The victim was identified by Israeli media as Barak Tzach, 40. He went missing Tuesday while snorkeling. His remains were found Wednesday after a two-day search.
According to a Facebook post by his wife, Sarit Tzach, Tzach had entered the water with a camera to film the sharks.
She said he had not fed or touched the sharks and used a camera stick to gently push them away when needed. A fisherman with him called him back to shore, and he was attacked while returning.
Dramatic footage from the moment of a shark attack in Hadera, Israel.
On the shores of Hadera there is a power plant and therefore the water is warmer there, which attracts sharks among other fish.
Israelis were too curious, and despite warnings to get out of water some stayed pic.twitter.com/9TmBndNi1v— K🎗️ (@westport60) April 23, 2025
The site of the attack is near a power plant that discharges warm water into the sea. This has created a hotspot for dusky and sandbar sharks, especially from October to May. Dusky sharks can grow up to 13 feet (4 meters) long and weigh up to 750 pounds (350 kilograms). Sandbar sharks are smaller, up to 8 feet (2.5 meters) long.
Swimming is banned in this area but large crowds often ignore warnings, especially during holidays.
According to Yigael Ben-Ari, head of the Israel Nature and Parks Authority’s marine rangers, this was only the third recorded shark attack in Israel. He noted that one person was killed in a similar attack in the 1940s.
Ben-Ari said the public needs to understand that sharks are wild animals and can act unpredictably.
Authorities have not said whether new safety measures will be introduced. For now, officials are urging people to stay out of the water when sharks are present and to follow existing bans.
