A man in his 50s died Saturday after being bitten by a suspected large shark while surfing off Long Reef Beach on Sydney’s northern coast, New South Wales police said.
Emergency services were called to the beach shortly after 10 a.m. local time and retrieved the man from the surf, but he died at the scene, police said. Authorities described him as an experienced surfer who had been in the water with friends; some media outlets identified him as 57. The victim’s name has not been released.
Police said the man had been surfing for about 30 minutes when the attack occurred roughly 100 metres (328 feet) offshore and that he lost multiple limbs. Two sections of a surfboard have been recovered and taken for expert examination to help determine the species of shark involved, the force said.
Officers from the Northern Beaches Police Area Command closed Long Reef and nearby beaches and deployed drones to search the water. Rod McGibbon, a duty officer from Surf Life Saving New South Wales, told reporters he expected the closures to last between 24 and 72 hours while authorities assess risk to beachgoers.
Witnesses described rapid, chaotic scenes on the sand as fellow surfers pulled the man ashore and family members rushed to the location. A witness told Sky News Australia she heard cries of "I don't want to get bitten" and said she saw a large dorsal fin breach the surface.
New South Wales Police Superintendent John Duncan and other officials said investigators and wildlife experts will work to identify the shark and examine recovered material. Authorities urged the public to avoid entering the water in the affected area while searches continue.
The incident prompted immediate closures across the popular Northern Beaches area and disrupted the usual weekend surf. Local surfers and residents said the attack would reverberate through the community.
Shark attacks are uncommon but draw significant attention when they occur along Australia's busy coastline. Police said inquiries are ongoing and asked anyone with information or footage of the incident to contact officers.
The investigation will include interviews with witnesses and analysis of the recovered surfboard fragments. Police provided no further details about the victim's identity or the precise sequence of events pending notification of next of kin and continued inquiries.