A diver was injured by a great white shark near Percé, Quebec, on Wednesday morning and transported to hospital for evaluation. The incident occurred aboard a dive boat owned by Plongée Percé, which has suspended diving activities for the rest of the season. Recently, there has been an increase in great white shark sightings in the Gulf of St. Lawrence, attributed partly to improved documentation and recovery of the species population after years of decline.
Written by the local model on 2026-09-17,
using this article's own text rather than the other coverage of the
same event (that is the story summary below).
Story summary
On Wednesday, a diver was injured by a great white shark while diving off the coast of Percé, Quebec in the Gaspé region, leading to hospitalization for further evaluation. The incident occurred shortly before 10:30 a.m., prompting immediate emergency response from local authorities and Plongée Percé, a commercial diving firm that provided first aid on-site. Diving activities have been suspended indefinitely as a precautionary measure. This attack follows an increase in great white shark sightings in the Gulf of St. Lawrence over recent years, with such incidents being exceptionally rare according to the Canadian Shark Attack Registry maintained by the independent non-profit St. Lawrence Shark Observatory, which lists only 15 confirmed out of more than 30 reported attacks since records began.
Written for “Shark Attack Off Quebec Coast” on 2026-09-17,
grounded in this article and the 2 other(s) covering the same event.
Diver injured in great white shark attack off Quebec's Gaspé coast
Incident comes amid increase in great white shark sightings in the Gulf of St. Lawrence
A diver was transported to hospital after being injured by a great white shark in Percé, Que., in the province’s Gaspé region.
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diver → injure → region
According to the Canadian Coast Guard, the incident occurred shortly before 10:30 a.m. on Wednesday.
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incident → accord → Wednesday
“Emergency response measures were initiated immediately,” Plongée Percé, a commercial diving firm, said in a Facebook post Wednesday.
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Percé → initiate → post
“The individual involved received first aid on site before being quickly transported to hospital for further evaluation.
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individual → involve → evaluation
We have confirmation that their life is not in danger.”
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life → have → danger
The Canadian Coast Guard confirms the victim was aboard the vessel Yoda, a Canadian Coast Guard Auxiliary dive boat.
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victim → confirm → Yoda
As of Wednesday afternoon, the organization was unable to confirm the nature of the victim’s injuries.
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organization → confirm → injuries
On Facebook, Plongée Percé thanked those who helped with the rescue and said it was suspending diving activities for the rest of the season.
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it → thank → season
Increase in great white sightings
Over the summer, great white shark sightings became more frequent in the Gulf of St. Lawrence and off the coasts of the Gaspé Peninsula and the Magdalen Islands.
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sightings → become → Peninsula
Four of these sharks — Webster, Ernst, Bella and Nori — are being tracked by Ocearch, a global non-profit organization that helps scientists study sharks.
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scientists → track → sharks
Nori was spotted south of Anticosti Island, while Ernst and Bella are swimming northeast of the Magdalen Islands.
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Ernst → spot → Islands
The organization told CBC News in August that the sighting of Webster off the coast of Newfoundland and Labrador was a sign of a healing ocean.
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sighting → tell → ocean
Webster is a 12-foot shark weighing just over 1,000 pounds.
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Webster → weigh → pounds
Ocearch founder Chris Fischer said the population of great white sharks was nearly decimated from the 1970s to the 1990s.
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population → say → 1990s
He said only around nine per cent of the global population remained before efforts were made to protect the remaining population.
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efforts → say → population
Having sharks in the region is a good sign for local fisheries, he said, as sharks instinctively put pressure on seals and ultimately protect fish stocks.
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sharks → have → stocks
Does Nova Scotia need shark-detecting drones?
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Scotia → need → drones
Shark sightings off northern Newfoundland a welcome sign for researcher
Caroline Miri, a marine biologist with Fisheries and Oceans Canada, said sharks play a key role at the top of the marine food chain.
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sharks → say → chain
“They're very important to the health and stability of our oceans and marine ecosystems because these sharks help keep in check some populations of invasive species, and they also control competing fish species lower down on the food chain,” Miri said.
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Miri → help → chain
Fischer said Ocearch has tagged around 115 sharks across the Atlantic, from Florida to Newfoundland and Labrador.
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Ocearch → say → Newfoundland
According to the St. Lawrence Shark Observatory, the recent increase in sightings of great white sharks in the gulf is mainly due to better documentation and a recovery of the species, which was considered endangered in Canadian waters.
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which → accord → waters
According to the Canadian Shark Attack Registry, 15 confirmed shark-related incidents have been recorded in Canada over more than 330 years.
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incidents → accord → years
The Aporia
