A man has died after being bitten by a suspected large shark while surfing at Long Reef Beach in Sydney. Authorities confirmed that the victim, an experienced surfer, suffered fatal injuries during the Saturday morning attack.
Emergency services received calls shortly after 10:00 am local time reporting that a surfer had been critically injured in the water. The man, who had been in the surf for only about 30 minutes with friends, was attacked approximately 100 meters (328 feet) offshore. Fellow surfers pulled him back to the beach, but he could not be saved and was pronounced dead at the scene.
Authorities revealed that the victim lost multiple limbs during the attack. Two pieces of his surfboard were later recovered from the water and have been taken for expert examination to aid in identifying the shark species responsible.
Rod McGibbon, a duty officer with Surf Life Saving, confirmed that beaches across the Northern Beaches would remain closed for 24 to 72 hours as a precaution. Local police and marine experts are now working together to determine the exact species involved, though early indications suggest it was a large predator.
The man’s identity has not yet been made public.
This tragedy has reignited concerns about shark activity in Sydney waters. The last deadly incident in the area occurred in 2022, when a British diving instructor was killed by a great white shark. Prior to that, Sydney had not seen a fatal shark attack since 1963.
Australia records an average of 20 shark attacks each year, with most reported in New South Wales and Western Australia. Despite the frequency of encounters, fatal outcomes remain rare. Historical data shows the country’s shark attack mortality rate is less than one person per year, standing at 0.9 over the past century.
Long Reef Beach, popular among surfers and swimmers, is expected to reopen once authorities are satisfied the area is safe. For now, safety patrols and drone monitoring are being used to keep watch over the coastline.
