Chilling to the core: Sydney beaches closed after horror shark attack
Numerous beaches in Sydney’s east are closed a day after a swimmer was killed by a shark, the first fatal attack in Sydney waters in nearly 60 years.
Little Bay Beach in Sydney, where a monster shark fatally attacked a swimmer Wednesday - the first death at a Sydney beach for almost 60 years.. (Image: AAP)
The swimmer, believed to be a local man, died from catastrophic injuries after being attacked by what witnesses said was a four-and-a-half metre great white shark at Little Bay in the city’s east on Wednesday.
Human remains were later found in the water.
NSW Ambulance inspector Lucky Phrachnanh said the swimmer “suffered catastrophic injuries and there was nothing paramedics could do”.
Kris Linto told Nine News a great white shark “attacked him vertically”.
“We heard a yell … it looked like a car had landed in the water,” he said.
Randwick Council has shut a number of beaches including Little Bay, Malabar, Maroubra, Coogee, Clovelly and La Perouse for 24 hours.
“Council Lifeguards will patrol beaches over the next 24 hours looking for any further sightings of sharks,” Mayor Dylan Parker tweeted.
“To lose someone on our coastline like this is chilling to the core,” he told Sydney radio 2GB on Thursday.
“The coast is our backyard.
“Little Bay is normally a calm, quiet, family friendly beach.”
The search for human remains resumed on Thursday with drones monitoring from the sky, lifesavers on jetskis ad on the sand, while water police and PolAir also patrolled.
Agriculture Minister Dugald Saunders said Primary Industries would work with the other authorities to determine if the killer shark – or any others – remained in the vicinity.
“The fisheries guys have already been out to the location of yesterday’s really unfortunate and just gut wrenching attack to put smart drumlines in and they will be monitored throughout the day,” he told 2GB.
“Smart drumlines have really proven to be extremely successful and also tagging sharks to know exactly where they are and using our smart shark app, along with … monitoring with drones.”
Surf Lifesaving uses drone technology to monitor 50 beaches from Tweed Heads in the north to Bega on the South Coast.
“We will continue to work really hard to make sure that people feel safe at all of our beaches, Mr Saunders said.
Macquarie University wildlife scientist Vanessa Pirotta said the attack had all the tell-tale signs of a great white shark attack.
“Just remember that this is a very unfortunate and unlikely scenario and that swimming in the ocean does have the risk of interacting with sharks,’ she told ABC TV.
