FREE now and never miss the top politics stories again. SUBSCRIBE Invalid email Sign up fornow and never miss the top politics stories again. We will use your email address only for sending you newsletters. Please see our Privacy Notice for details of your data protection rights.

The diver, Alan Delatorre, was declared missing after he failed to return home from a night dive in the Hawaiian islands. Mr Delatorre had gone for the dive off the coast of Kailua-Kona at the beginning of the month.

However, his friends and family said they never heard from the 45-year-old again. Now, rescuers with Hawaii’s Fire Department said they have found torn clothing and wrecked diving equipment in the waters around where the man was said to be swimming. Hawaii police issued a statement which read: “Hawaii Fire Department divers recovered clothes and diving equipment in the waters near the buoy that were identified as belonging to Delatorre. “They indicated the damage to the clothing to be attributed to sharks.”

Shark news: Missing diver likely to have been brutally attacked by shark

Alan Delatorre, was declared missing after he failed to return home from a night dive

Another source said the clothing was found “shredded” which is consistent with a shark bite. The fire department’s search for the diver was suspended after they found the clothes. Police have described Mr Delatorre as 5’4" and 156 pounds with black hair and brown eyes. There are around 40 species of shark near the region where Mr Delatorre went missing, according to the Hawaii Department of Land and Natural Resources. READ MORE: Terrifying 19-foot Great white shark launches 'petrifying' attack

Another source said the clothing was found “shredded”

Mr Delatorre had gone for the dive off the coast of Kailua-Kona

The waters are mostly frequented by eight species of shark

"Although any shark may be potentially dangerous, especially if provoked, it is believed that only a few species of Hawaiian sharks have been responsible for biting people. “Many in-shore species are difficult to distinguish from each other, and positive identification is often not made. "People who enter the water need to recognise that there are hidden dangers. “A number of marine animals can cause serious injury to people, and sharks are just one example.

"People who enter the water need to recognise that there are hidden dangers"

“Entering the ocean should be considered a 'wilderness experience,' where people are visitors in a world that belongs to the sharks." It comes as a young student had a close encounter with a great white shark in Bali recently. Nina Coleman was part of a group of scuba divers exploring a reef, when she became aware of a sudden panic among her fellow divers.

“Entering the ocean should be considered a 'wilderness experience'"

Trending