SYDNEY, Sept 6 — A peaceful morning surf turned into a heartbreaking tragedy today when a man lost his life in a suspected shark attack off Long Reef Beach, located in the northern part of Sydney.
Emergency services rushed to the scene after receiving urgent calls that a man had been seriously injured in the water. Despite immediate efforts by fellow surfers and responders, the man could not be saved. He was pronounced dead on the beach.
According to New South Wales Police, the fatal injuries are believed to have been caused by a “large shark.” Two broken pieces of the man’s surfboard were later recovered from the surf and are currently undergoing forensic investigation.
Eyewitnesses described a chilling scene. One surfer told The Daily Telegraph that several surfers pulled the victim from the ocean, and that a significant portion of his lower body appeared to have been attacked. “There was a surf lifesaving guy waving a red flag,” he recalled. “I didn’t know what it was… but thought I should probably go in.”
This incident marks Sydney’s first fatal shark attack since 2022, when British diving instructor Simon Nellist was killed off Little Bay. Before that, the last such fatality in the city had occurred in 1963.
As a precaution, all beaches between Manly and Narrabeen have been closed until further notice. Authorities are urging swimmers, surfers, and beachgoers to avoid the area and remain alert.
While rare, such events shake communities deeply, reminding us all of nature’s raw power. Our thoughts are with the victim’s family and the local surf community, who are reeling from this sudden loss.
