Shark attack kills surfer
AN onlooker has described horrific scenes of “a man without an arm” screaming for help on Father’s Day after a savage shark attack left a surfer with fatal injuries on the NSW North Coast on Sunday.
Four ambulance crews and a Westpac Rescue Helicopter raced to Shelly Beach at 10.45am after the man, in his 30s, was dragged to the shore at Emerald Beach in Coffs Harbour battling for survival.
One onlooker said he was
out in the surf when the grisly attack took place.
“I was out in the surf and I heard screaming, I paddled further out to the water and saw a man without an arm,
there was lots of blood,” the witness said.
“He was shouting ‘ help me’ – people were trying to get him out to the shore. I saw paramedics performing CPR on him for about an hour and a half trying to save him.”
Locals had also battled to perform CPR on the man before crews arrived.
“It was devastating for everybody on the beach this morning,” NSW ambulance inspector Chris Wilson said.
“A number of local surfers and bystanders came to the aid of this man, they were incredibly brave in a very challenging situation.
“The Westpac Rescue Helicopter winched in a critical care medical team on to the beach to continue treatment.
“The patient suffered a critical injury to his arm, but despite the best efforts of bystanders, paramedics and other emergency services, the patient couldn’t be revived.”
A NSW Ambulance spokesman said the victim had suffered ‘significant injuries’ to the arm and back.
The onlooker said the horrific attack had made him apprehensive about getting back into the surf.
“It didn’t look good. I’ve been surfing for 22 years on Emerald Beach and there’s never been an attack in my knowledge like this,” the witness said. “I really feel for the dude’s family – it’s a popular beach. I’ll get back in the water but not for a while.”
Shelly Beach is located at the northern end of the Look At Me Now Headland at Emerald Beach.
Emerald Beach is about 15 minutes north of Coffs Harbour and is popular with surfers.
The attack comes just a year after the death of 15-year-old surfer Mani Hart-deville from nearby Minnie Water at Wilsons Headland.