An Australian surfer died in a shark attack off the coast of West Australia on Tuesday, in the first fatal attack in six years.
Nicholas Edwards, 31, was surfing at South Point break, near Gracetown, about 270 km (167 miles) south of Perth. The father of two was attacked at about 8:00 a.m. on Tuesday, reported Australian media Seven News.
The shark inflicted severe injuries to Edward’s right leg before the surfer washed up, unconscious, near rocks on the beach.
Local Rob Alder and friends used a surfboard leg rope as a tourniquet to stop the bleeding as they attempted to resuscitate him. However, Edwards was pronounced dead after an ambulance took him to Margaret River Hospital.
“It’s my thought that, as often happens, the shark had probably mistaken the surfer for a seal,” Alder told ABC Radio.
Police Sgt. Craig Anderson said Edwards was getting in one last surf before returning to his mining job in the goldfields on Wednesday.
“Judging by the injuries I would have thought he died in a matter of minutes,” he said, according to the West Australian.
Sgt. Anderson said the police chaplain was giving support to the family.
The beach is closed until next Wednesday while police and fisheries officers try to locate the shark and assess any risk of further attacks. It is not known what species the shark was.
Nicholas Edwards, 31, was surfing at South Point break, near Gracetown, about 270 km (167 miles) south of Perth. The father of two was attacked at about 8:00 a.m. on Tuesday, reported Australian media Seven News.
The shark inflicted severe injuries to Edward’s right leg before the surfer washed up, unconscious, near rocks on the beach.
Local Rob Alder and friends used a surfboard leg rope as a tourniquet to stop the bleeding as they attempted to resuscitate him. However, Edwards was pronounced dead after an ambulance took him to Margaret River Hospital.
“It’s my thought that, as often happens, the shark had probably mistaken the surfer for a seal,” Alder told ABC Radio.
Police Sgt. Craig Anderson said Edwards was getting in one last surf before returning to his mining job in the goldfields on Wednesday.
“Judging by the injuries I would have thought he died in a matter of minutes,” he said, according to the West Australian.
Sgt. Anderson said the police chaplain was giving support to the family.
The beach is closed until next Wednesday while police and fisheries officers try to locate the shark and assess any risk of further attacks. It is not known what species the shark was.
