His decision also involved personal risk.
He entered the water while a large shark was attacking another person.
There was no guarantee that the animal would move away when confronted.
Nor was there any assurance that the rescuer would avoid injury.
The intervention succeeded in this particular incident.
But it should not be interpreted as a universally safe method of responding to shark attacks.
Approaching an actively attacking shark can be extremely dangerous.
The outcome depends on circumstances that cannot be predicted reliably.
In Jose's case, however, the friend's action was decisive.
The shark moved away.
Jose escaped.
And the group was able to begin the medical evacuation.
The incident became memorable not only because of the shark's repeated attacks, but also because another diver entered the danger to help.
Jose survived.
And he publicly acknowledged the person whose intervention had helped make that possible.
Chapter 9: Why the Attack Was So Dangerous
Several circumstances made Jose's encounter near Toppino Reef especially serious.
The first was the shark's size.
Witnesses described the animal as a bull shark approximately eight feet long.
A shark of that size possesses substantial strength and jaws capable of causing devastating injuries.
The second was the speed of the attack.
The entire encounter lasted approximately 13 seconds.
That left almost no time for a coordinated response.
Jose had to defend himself immediately.
His friend had to recognize the danger and intervene before the animal could inflict further injuries.
The third was the repeated nature of the attack.
The shark did not simply make one brief contact and disappear.
According to the account, it repeatedly lunged at Jose, biting his leg and attempting to reach his upper body.
That increased the danger because additional bites could have affected other parts of his body.
The fourth factor was Jose's position in the water.
He was swimming back toward his boat after catching a fish.
He had not yet reached the safety of the vessel.
The shark attacked while he was still exposed in open water.
The fifth was the physical struggle.
Jose attempted to keep the animal's mouth away with his hands.
That required close contact with the shark's jaws.
His defensive efforts did not completely stop the attacks.
The sixth factor was the need for immediate rescue.
His friend entered the water with a speargun and struck toward the shark's mouth.
The intervention forced the animal away and allowed Jose to escape.
The seventh factor was the medical aftermath.