Australian authorities are searching for the remains of a 55-year-old surfer who was reportedly attacked by a large shark near the popular surfing spot of Granites Beach in South Australia. The attack occurred on Tuesday morning and witnesses claim that the shark “had his body in his mouth.” As of now, there has been no trace of the victim.
The search for the victim resumed early Wednesday morning. This incident has once again raised concerns about shark attacks in the area, which is known for its shark breeding ground and is a popular spot for surfers. The Eyre Peninsula, where Granites Beach is located, is a remote area on the west coast of Australia, about 682 km northwest of Adelaide.
A 70-year-old surfer, Ian Brophy, was present at the time of the attack and witnessed the entire incident. Brophy recounted that he was about to enter the water when he heard someone yell “Shark!” Upon turning around, he saw the shark launch and bite the victim. The predator went over the top of the victim and dragged him down under the water. After a minute or two, the board resurfaced with blood everywhere, but there was no sign of the victim. Brophy saw the victim in the wave, and the shark had his body in its mouth. Witnesses told 7News that the victim was one of about a dozen surfers in the water at the time of the attack.
According to Brophy, the attack was pretty gruesome. Within a few minutes, there was no sign of the victim’s body. “It took every bit of him, I think,” he said. Another witness told 7News that the shark grabbed the victim, pulled him back down, brought him back up, and pulled him back down again.
The attack happened so quickly that no one could do anything to save the victim. The local residents were shocked and saddened by the fatal shark attack. The jet ski and helicopter teams were immediately deployed to search for the missing person, but they were unable to locate the victim.
Following the recent shark attack on a surfer in South Australia, eyewitness Jeff Schmucker reported seeing a great white shark that he estimated to be “the length of a sedan car.” Although he could not confirm if this was the same shark responsible for the attack, Schmucker did find the remains of a surfboard with a large bite mark.
Great white sharks are known to inhabit the coastline of South Australia, and the number of shark attacks has increased over the past four decades due to factors such as human population growth and climate change. Shark expert Charlie Huveneers from Flinders University suggests that as oceans get warmer, ecosystems are being forced to adapt, and sharks may be following their prey and moving closer to shores, where they are more likely to come into contact with humans.
Sharks may attack humans for various reasons such as mistaking them for their usual prey, curiosity, hunger, self-defense, or aggression, according to Huveneers. While it is unclear what motivated the recent attack, some locals speculate that the influx of surfers and fishing activity in the area may be attracting more sharks.
Phil McEvoy, who lives in Streaky Bay, where the attack occurred, heard sirens sounding in the morning for quite some time and knew something was wrong. He believes that the fishing season might have something to do with the possible increase in sharks in the area.
It is important to note that shark attacks are rare, and marine predators such as sharks play a vital role in maintaining healthy ocean ecosystems. However, it is essential to take precautions such as avoiding swimming in areas known for shark activity and following beach safety guidelines to minimize the risk of shark attacks.
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