Sydney, Sept 7 (V7N) – A 57-year-old man was killed in a shark attack while surfing off Long Reef Beach in New South Wales on Saturday morning, police confirmed.
 
Emergency services were called shortly after 10 a.m. following reports of a surfer suffering critical injuries. Despite efforts, the man was pronounced dead at the scene. Police later identified him as a resident of Dee Why, a coastal suburb of Sydney, and said he was an experienced surfer.
 
According to John Duncan, superintendent of Sydney’s Northern Beaches police unit, the victim lost multiple limbs and sustained “catastrophic injuries” during the attack. His body was seen floating in the surf before being recovered by bystanders, while his surfing companions managed to reach shore unharmed.
 
The victim leaves behind a wife and young daughter. “Obviously, on Sunday being Father’s Day, it’s particularly critical and tragic,” Duncan said at a press briefing.
 
Authorities said the surfer was about 320 feet from shore when the attack occurred. Investigators are examining his body and surfboard, which was split in half, to determine the species of shark involved. Witnesses reported seeing a large shark in the area shortly before the incident.
 
Beaches near Long Reef were temporarily closed and are expected to remain off-limits for at least 24 hours as authorities search for the shark.
 
Fatal shark attacks in Australia are rare. According to the Taronga Conservation Society, the country’s last deadly attack occurred in March, while Sydney’s most recent was in February 2022.
 
END/WD/AJ/