Pearl Diver Attacked in Torres Strait While Retrieving Oyster

A remarkable and well-documented 1904 Torres Strait case in which pearl diver Oku Hayadi, forcibly thrown overboard as punishment, reportedly killed an attacking shark with a knife while concealing a stolen pearl in his hand, which was later recovered from the shark's stomach — a story of extraordinary survival under extreme duress, preserved across multiple contemporary newspaper sources.

On August 29, 1921, a pearl diving operation in Torres Strait, Queensland, Australia resulted in a severe shark attack. The incident involved a diver who was set adrift in the Coral Sea as part of a controversial pearling practice. According to accounts reported by the Pearling Commissioner at Thursday Island, the diver was lowered into the water where oyster offal had been scattered to attract sharks—a deliberate action taken during the operation. Upon entering the water, the diver was immediately attacked by a large, aggressive shark. During the encounter, the diver thrust his left arm into the shark's jaws and managed to fatally wound the animal using a shell knife. The severe lacerations sustained to his arm required immediate medical attention upon his rescue and return to the vessel. This incident reflects the dangerous conditions faced by pearl divers operating in Torres Strait during the early 20th century. The waters of the Coral Sea were known to support populations of large sharks, and divers working in this region faced considerable risk. The account demonstrates both the hazardous nature of pearling operations and the remarkable survival skills required of those who worked in these treacherous waters.