Australian police and rescuers reported on Saturday that a suspected “large shark” killed a surfer in a rare fatal attack off a Sydney beach, leading to a number of beach closures.
New South Wales police said in a statement that the man was pulled out of the Pacific surf onto the shore at northern Sydney’s Long Reef Beach but died at the scene.
“A man has died on the Northern Beaches after being bitten by what is believed to have been a large shark,” police said. Two sections of a surfboard were recovered and taken for examination, and police added that they are working with experts to identify the species of shark involved. Images of the scene on local media showed police officers gathered on the shore with ambulances parked nearby.
According to Surf Life Saving NSW, the victim was bitten by the ocean predator while surfing in the morning away from a patrolled area of the beach. It added that beaches between the northern suburbs of Manly and Narrabeen have been closed for at least 24 hours.
“For now, please remain clear of the water at beaches in the vicinity and follow the direction of lifeguards and lifesavers,” Surf Life Saving NSW chief executive Steven Pearce said in a statement. “Our deepest condolences go to the family of the man involved in this terrible tragedy.” Surf life saving clubs nearby have cancelled all water activity and training for the weekend.
‘Critical Injuries’
This was the first fatal shark attack in Sydney since 2022, when 35-year-old British diving instructor Simon Nellist was killed off Little Bay. The previous fatal attack in the city was in 1963.
According to Australian public broadcaster ABC, drones are now scanning the beach for shark activity. Police said emergency services rushed to the scene after receiving alerts that the man, who was not identified, had suffered “critical injuries.”
An unnamed surfer said the victim had been surfing off the adjoining Long Reef and Dee Why beaches. According to Sydney’s Daily Telegraph, the surfer said, “Four or five surfers pulled him out of the water, and it looked like a significant part of his lower half had been attacked.” People were ordered out of the water, he told the paper. “There was a surf lifesaving guy waving a red flag,” the surfer said. “I didn’t know what it was… but thought I should probably go in [to shore].”
Australia’s last deadly shark attack was in March, when a surfer was killed off the remote Wharton Beach in Western Australia. According to a database of predator encounters with humans, there have been more than 1,280 shark incidents around Australia since 1791, of which over 250 resulted in death.
