Man killed in suspected shark attack on Sydney’s northern beaches

A man has died after being bitten by a suspected large shark off Long Reef Beach, in Sydney’s Northern Beaches, on Saturday morning. New South Wales police said emergency services were called shortly after 10 a.m. local time (00:00 GMT) following reports that a man had suffered critical injuries while swimming about 100 metres (328 feet) from shore. Despite efforts by others in the water to bring him back to land, he died at the scene. Police confirmed that two broken sections of a surfboard were recovered for expert examination as authorities work to determine the shark species involved. R

A man has died after being bitten by a suspected large shark off Long Reef Beach, in Sydney’s Northern Beaches, on Saturday morning. New South Wales police said emergency services were called shortly after 10 a.m. local time (00:00 GMT) following reports that a man had suffered critical injuries while swimming about 100 metres (328 feet) from shore. Despite efforts by others in the water to bring him back to land, he died at the scene. Police confirmed that two broken sections of a surfboard were recovered for expert examination as authorities work to determine the shark species involved. Rod McGibbon, a duty officer from Surf Life Saving, said the victim had been in the water with friends for only about 30 minutes before the attack. He suffered catastrophic injuries, including the loss of multiple limbs. McGibbon added that beaches in the area are expected to remain closed for up to 72 hours as a precaution. The victim’s identity has not yet been released. The incident is the first fatal shark attack in Sydney since 2022, when British diving instructor Simon Nellist was killed by a great white shark. Prior to that, the city had not recorded a deadly shark attack since 1963. Australia records an average of about 20 shark attacks each year, with most occurring in New South Wales and Western Australia. Fatal encounters, however, remain rare, with a mortality rate of less than one person per year over more than a century of records.