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Man killed in shark attack at Byron Bay | Man killed in shark attack at Byron Bay |
(35 minutes later) | |
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. | |
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. | |
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 a Byron Bay local on his own swimming, and his wife was on beach at the time of the attack,” said Cullen. | |
Witnesses told Guardian Australia that the woman appeared to be in a highly distressed state as paramedics and police attended 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. | |
“The man showed extraordinary bravery in trying to rescue the victim,” said Cullen. | |
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. | |
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,” 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.” |
According to New Corp, the victim was brought back to the beach on a surf ski but could not be saved. | |
Lifeguards spotted a shark in the water off the beach, believed to be a great white. | |
Channel Nine news tweeted photographs of the shark. | |
Helicopter footage showed the shark to be swimming close to the shore. | |
Police erected a tarpaulin around the man and sealed the area with crime scene tape. | |
Cullen said police and Lifesaving Australia acted quickly to shut the beach down. | |
But the signs on the beach were spaced far apart and did not indicate the reason for the beach closure. | |
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.” | |
They were later warned to come in from the beach by another tourist. | |
Life-saving season is not due to start in Byron Bay until next week, meaning that the beach was unpatrolled. | |
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. | |
“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. | |
“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.” | |
The police were hoping to “chase” the shark from the beach rather than cull it. | |
“If it is a great white it is protected and we follow procedures,” said Cullen. | |
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. |