SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA — A great white shark devoured a man scuba diving on his honeymoon yesterday, then escaped from fishermen after ramming their boat and spitting out part of its victim.

The shark rammed the boat, spat out human remains and broke free.

The attack, off the resort town of Byron Bay 400 miles north of Sydney, was Australia's second fatal shark attack in five days. John Ford, 31, had been diving with his bride, Deborah, when the shark lunged at them.

Deborah Ford, 29, told rescue workers that her husband of two weeks pushed her from the path of the shark. His flippers, torn pieces of wet suit and a weight belt later were found in the water. She was not hurt but was suffering from shock.

Fishermen searched for the shark and caught a 16-foot great white — apparently the same one — with a hook and net. But the shark rammed the boat, which was just two feet longer than the shark, spat out human remains and broke free.

On Saturday, Therese Cartwright, 34, was killed by a 12-foot great white while diving near a seal colony off the northern coast of Tasmania state. Her husband and five children, including 6-year-old quadruplets, looked on helplessly from their boat.

Scientists theorize both attacks were cases of sharks mistaking divers in wet suits and flippers for sea mammals, such as seals. Seals make up a large part of the diet of great whites, regarded as the most dangerous shark species in Australian waters.

Marine researcher John Fairfax said attacks may become more frequent because commercial fishing is depleting fish stocks. "Sharks are coming closer to the coastline looking for something to eat," he said.