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Man killed in shark attack at Byron Bay Man killed in shark attack at Byron Bay
(35 minutes later)
A Byron Bay man has died after being attacked by a shark at a popular beach at the town on the NSW north coast. Police and emergency services were this afternoon hunting a large shark at Clarkes beach at Byron Bay that killed a local 50-year-old swimmer.
He died after he was bitten on the right leg by a suspected great white while swimming off Clarkes Beach at approximately 10.30am on Tuesday. The man, whose name has not been released, was swimming in the shallows on the eastern side of Byron Bay’s main beach when he was attacked.
Police have confirmed the man, in his 50s, was a local resident. The wife of the man saw the attack. At a press conference at Clarkes beach this afternoon, Tweed-Byron Inspector Bobbie Cullen said that at approximately 10:45am, police were called after a man was dragged from the water with severe injuries to his right leg.
He was pulled from the water at Clarkes beach just before 11am on Tuesday in a critical condition. “He was a Byron Bay local on his own swimming, and his wife was on beach at the time of the attack,” said Cullen.
He was believed to have suffered a bite to his leg, an ambulance spokeswoman said. Witnesses told Guardian Australia that the woman appeared to be in a highly distressed state as paramedics and police attended the scene.
A triple-zero call was received by emergency services at 10.42am. A doctor performed CPR but the man died at the scene. A man, who police did not identify, tried to save the swimmer by dragging him from the water and onto the sand, but he died at the scene.
NSW Ambulance paramedic Andrew Chapman said the man was bitten above the knee. “The man showed extraordinary bravery in trying to rescue the victim,” said Cullen.
“It was a fatal bite with major blood loss. He probably died in the water because there was no blood loss on the beach,” he told News Corp Australia. Newcastle lawyer, Mark Hickey, was identified as the man who tried to rescue the swimmer. He told News Corp Australia he rushed into the water to help the man.
Newcastle lawyer Mark Hickey, 52, was one of the first people on the scene and said he saw a six- or seven-foot (1.8-2.1m) shark menacing the victim. He said he saw a six-or-seven foot shark menacing the victim.
“I saw what looked like seaweed but it was blood in the water,” the tourist told the news organisation. “I saw what looked like seaweed but it was blood in the water,” he said, adding that it was likely that the victim died in the water.
“The shark came back to him and had another go. I didn’t know it was a person but when I realised I ran out and waded to the bank and grabbed him and did CPR but it was too late.”“The shark came back to him and had another go. I didn’t know it was a person but when I realised I ran out and waded to the bank and grabbed him and did CPR but it was too late.”
Media reports have said the man was swimming with flippers when he was attacked. According to New Corp, the victim was brought back to the beach on a surf ski but could not be saved.
NSW government officers will be brought in to determine the type of shark involved in the attack. Lifeguards spotted a shark in the water off the beach, believed to be a great white.
This is the first fatal shark attack in Byron Bay since 1993. Channel Nine news tweeted photographs of the shark.
About 30 surfers had been in the water at the time of the attack but had been quickly brought in. Helicopter footage showed the shark to be swimming close to the shore.
A crowd of around 150 people were on the sand in the aftermath of the attack, but the water remained empty as two low-lying helicopters hovered overhead searching for the shark. Police erected a tarpaulin around the man and sealed the area with crime scene tape.
Channel Nine news tweeted photographs of what is believed to be the shark. Cullen said police and Lifesaving Australia acted quickly to shut the beach down.
Helicopter footage showed the shark to be very close to the shore. But the signs on the beach were spaced far apart and did not indicate the reason for the beach closure.
After the attack, the victim’s body remained on the beach, partially covered by a windbreak. Surf life-savers, police and paramedics were at the scene. Backpackers Rafi Mitchell and his friend Steven Miller said: “We didn’t see any signs about the shark attack and jumped in but we thought it was really strange that we were the only people swimming.”
A local reporter told Guardian Australia that a distressed woman had been at the scene. They were later warned to come in from the beach by another tourist.
Fairfax Media quoted Surf Life Saving NSW spokeswoman Donna Wishart who said at the time of the attack the beach was not supervised as the life guards’ seasonal duties was not due to start for another week. Life-saving season is not due to start in Byron Bay until next week, meaning that the beach was unpatrolled.
Byron Shire Council announced the beach’s closure on its Facebook page. “Due to a fatal shark attack on Tuesday morning (9 September, 2014), Byron Bay beaches from Belongil to Tallow Beach are closed for the next 24 hours. Everyone is requested to stay out of the water until advised further. Guardian Australia spoke to local man, Richard Buxton, 70, who was walking along the shore in black speedos and a pink swimming cap, who was still keen to swim.
“Two life guards will be stationed at Main Beach (Byron Bay) tomorrow to assist with keeping people out of the water.” “The odds of someone else getting attacked now are very small. That there’s been a shark attack will not stop me from swimming,” he said.
Steven Adelaide, 42, from Sydney, who is on holiday in Byron Bay with his wife and young child, said they had been about to go into the water just before the attack occurred but decided to build a sandcastle first. “It’s not the sharks fault,” Buxton added before looking around at the closed beach and the choppers flying low overhead. “But I don’t think I’ll go in now.”
“It’s a perfect day in Byron and we just were about to go for a swim when we heard a commotion,” he said. The police were hoping to “chase” the shark from the beach rather than cull it.
“I was absolutely shocked when the beach was cleared. They are still looking for a shark. We are going to find a swimming pool instead.” “If it is a great white it is protected and we follow procedures,” said Cullen.
Police will speak to the media on Tuesday afternoon. The police said they were not aware of previous shark sightings in the area and were in the process of notifying the man’s family.
Meanwhile the sun shone in Bryon Bay after a fortnight of poor weather, yet the water remained empty and two search helicopters flew low overhead.
Byron Bay local Sally Howell said: “Everyone is shaken. We are waiting for his name to be released. The beach is a crucial part of life here and the bay was always seen as one of the safest places to swim. We are all just in shock.”
The last fatal shark attack in the area was in 1993.
Police are preparing a report for the coroner.