Sydney, Europe Brief News – A swimmer was proclaimed dead after suffering “catastrophic injuries” in the first fatal shark attack in Sydney since 1963.
Emergency services reported the attack at Little Bay beach near Malabar on Wednesday afternoon.
Human remains were later found in the water.
Authorities in the New South Wales state have not named the victim, and an investigation is under way.
Australian police closed Little Bay and several nearby beaches following the attack.
“Some guy was swimming and a shark came and attacked him vertically,” one witness told Nine news.
“We heard a yell and turned around it looked like a car had landed in the water,” he said.
Another onlooker who was fishing on the rocks at the time told ABC news that the swimmer “was yelling at first, and then when he went down there were so many splashes.
“He just went down for a swim, enjoying the day, but that shark took his life,” he said.
The last fatal shark attack on a Sydney beach was in 1963 at Sugarloaf Bay.
Last year there were three fatal shark attacks in Australia, including two in New South Wales, according to the Taronga Conservation Society.
Experts say swimmers can take precautions to prevent shark attacks. Always be aware of your surroundings at the beach, as shallow areas can serve as nurseries for sharks.
Also, try to swim in groups, avoid erratic movements, and leave shiny jewelry behind, as sharks can confuse it for fish scales, experts say.
