Man in his 50s succumbs to fatal injuries from a 4.5m great white shark
A surfer has tragically died after being attacked by a 4.5-meter great white shark while surfing at Tuncurry Beach on the mid-north coast of New South Wales, Australia. The incident marks the first confirmed fatal shark attack in Australian waters this year.
Paramedics were called to the beach near Forster around 11:20 am on Tuesday after the man, in his 50s, was bitten on his upper thigh while in the water. Despite the swift response of bystanders, including a retired paramedic who performed CPR, the man succumbed to his injuries.
Shark scientists from the NSW Department of Primary Industries (DPI) reviewed photos of the bite and concluded that a great white shark, approximately 4.5 meters in length, was responsible for the attack.
In the wake of the fatality, authorities have closed beaches from Blackhead Beach to One Mile Beach for at least 24 hours. DPI teams are deploying smart drumlines and drones to search for the shark. Local surf lifesaver Brian Wilcox described the attack as “pretty unprecedented” for the area.
The attack comes just months after a similar fatality in South Australia earlier this year. Last year, eight people were killed in shark attacks off Australia’s coast.
