Search for missing surfer’s body after shark attack in Australia

Police launch search operation around Streaky Bay for missing surfer

Eyre Peninsula, South Australia (Getty Images)

Authorities are searching for the body of a surfer thought to have been killed by a four-metre-long shark in Australia.

Police were called to reports that a man, 55, had been seriously injured in a shark attack near Streaky Bay, Eyre Peninsula, South Australia on Tuesday morning.

The body of the man had not been found by Tuesday afternoon, with South Australia Police saying the search operation would continue “through to day’s end”.

“Police and emergency services crews are searching waters near Streaky Bay for the body of a man, believed to be the victim of a fatal shark attack,” a spokesman said.

“About 10.20am on Tuesday, the 55-year-old man was surfing near Granites Beach, south of Streaky Bay on the Eyre Peninsula, when witnesses reported seeing a shark attack the man.

“The man’s body is yet to be found and the search will continue through to day’s end.”

Trevlyn Smith, a State Emergency Service incident controller, said that a shark had been spotted in the water and that a surfboard had been recovered.

A witness told the Advertiser they saw a shark, around 4.2m long, attack the man near a surf break.

The shark attack is the second in the space of a month in South Australia.

At the beginning of October, a woman was attacked by a shark while out for a morning swim.

Pam Cook, 64, was bitten on the leg near Beachport Jetty on 1 October. She required surgery due to serious leg injuries, which were non-life threatening.

Earlier this year a man died after being bitten by a shark on the west coast of Eyre Peninsula.

The man had been surfing near Walkers Rock Beach, which is near Elliston, with fellow surfers witnessing the attack.