An Australian man was killed in a shark attack while surfing at Tuncurry Beach in New South Wales on Tuesday.
Nearby beachgoers helped to pull the surfer to safety after suffering injuries to his upper right thigh, according to the New York Post.
Surfer killed in shark attack at Australian beach https://t.co/26VknrNBca pic.twitter.com/TcbqeMSNjF
— New York Post (@nypost) May 18, 2021
“It’s pretty unprecedented. I can’t recall ever having a shark attack in this area,” North Coast Surf Life Saving Branch President Brian Wilcox told Australian Broadcasting Corp., according to the Post. (RELATED: 73-Year-Old Snorkeler Walks Away From Shark Attack In Hawaii)
After the attack, drones flying over the area reportedly found two sharks. Beaches in the area were also closed Tuesday as a result of the attack.
“We’ll … do drone missions for the next couple of days, within the Tuncurry Beach area, just to make sure there are no sharks hanging around,” Wilcox said, according to CBS News.
#UPDATE Despite the best efforts of paramedics and bystanders at the scene the man could not be resuscitated
— NSW Ambulance (@NSWAmbulance) May 18, 2021
“Despite the best efforts of paramedics and bystanders at the scene the man could not be resuscitated,” New South Wales Ambulance tweeted Tuesday.
An Australian surfer was also attacked in December, then swam to shore and walked 1,000 feet to ask for help. Last year Australia saw eight shark attack deaths, the most since 1929.