WA: Shark attack hero quashed fear to try to rescue stranger

AAP General News (Australia)
08-06-2001
WA: Shark attack hero quashed fear to try to rescue stranger

By Liza Kappelle

PERTH, Aug 6 AAP - Truck driver Brian Farley abandoned fears for his own life when
he swam out to sea to try to pull a dying stranger from the jaws of a shark.

His efforts to save the man were in vain - the 4.5 metre white pointer had fatally
injured 49-year-old swimmer Ken Crew - but Mr Farley was recognised today with the second-highest
civilian bravery award for his courage.

The 44-year-old was swimming at Perth's popular Cottesloe beach on November 6 last
year when he saw the shark rip a leg off Mr Crew, drag him underwater and pull him 25
metres into the Indian Ocean.

His immediate thoughts were to flee the water.

But Mr Farley quickly dispelled fears for his own life and, when the shark dropped
the unconscious Mr Crew to attack another man, he took the "window of opportunity" to
race out to the bloodied water and pull him back to shore.

"As soon as I saw that Ken had been grabbed, I knew that he was going to need help,"

said Mr Farley, presented today with the Star of Courage award.

"By the time Ken came to the surface I had to make the decision about which way I was
going to go.

"I had the conscious decision to either get out of the water or go out to grab Ken,
and that was the decision I made."

When the shark dropped Mr Crew to attack his fellow swimmer Dirk Avery, Mr Farley raced
for the profusely-bleeding man.

He was helped by three men on surf skis who also tried to shield him from the circling
shark as he dragged Mr Crew to shore.

The trio, Gary Whyatt, 36, John Verity, 27, and Alexander Harrison, 32, also received
Bravery Medals for their part in trying to save Mr Crew.

The local businessman was just 10 days short of his 50th birthday when he died from
shock and blood loss on his beloved beach following the attack by the white pointer.

He had been taking his daily morning swim with friends when the shark attacked.

Mr Farley said he had since become friends with Mr Crew's family - wife Robin, 17-year-old
son Andrew and daughters Rebecca, 22, and Aimee, 14, who have said they were overwhelmed
by his heroic effort.

Dirk Avery, 52, survived the attack which allowed Mr Farley to reach Mr Crew, but suffered
deep foot wounds as he tried to fight off the shark.

AAP lk/sd/mo/sb

KEYWORD: BRAVERY SHARK

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