Fatal Great White Attack on Freediver at La Jolla Reef

On the evening of June 14, 1959, Robert Pamperin, a 33-year-old freediver, was attacked and killed by a great white shark near Alligator Head at the west end of La Jolla Cove in San Diego County, California. Pamperin and his diving companion, Gerald Lehrer, had been collecting abalone when they drifted approximately 10-15 meters apart. At approximately 5:10 p.m., Lehrer heard Pamperin cry out for help. Turning toward the sound, he witnessed his companion elevated unnaturally high out of the water before disappearing beneath the surface in bloodied water. Lehrer observed Pamperin in the jaws of a shark he estimated to exceed 7 meters in length. Despite attempting to frighten the predator away by diving repeatedly and waving his arms, Lehrer was unable to help his companion. A witness on shore, William Abitz, also saw Pamperin thrashing before disappearing. The shark was described as having a white belly, dark gray to black coloring on top, and a blunt nose—characteristics consistent with a great white shark of approximately 6-7 meters in length. Within an hour, 10 qualified scuba divers from the Scripps Institution of Oceanography conducted an extensive two-hour search but failed to locate Pamperin or the shark. Only a blue swim fin and a deceased seal or sea lion were recovered. Researchers identified several factors that may have contributed to the attack. Fewer than two hours prior, divers had speared yellowtail fish at the location, releasing blood and low-frequency vibrations known to attract sharks. Additionally, a U.S. Navy sailor had sustained serious lacerations nearby, and a dead whale had washed ashore 800 meters north the previous night, potentially creating a scent corridor that could have attracted the predator from considerable distance. Pamperin's body was never recovered.