Sydney reopens beaches after fatal shark attack

SYDNEY: Sydney reopened beaches to surfers and swimmers yesterday after failing to find a large, great white shark that devoured a swimmer in the Australian city’s first such attack since 1963.

A 35-year-old British diving instructor, Simon Nellist, was identified by national broadcaster ABC and other media as the victim of Wednesday’s attack, which led the authorities to close a string of beaches including the iconic Bondi Beach.

Fishermen and golfers watched helplessly from nearby cliffs as a shark mauled the swimmer to death in a horrific attack off Sydney’s Little Bay Beach.

Emergency responders described his injuries as “catastrophic”.

After the attack, drones scoured the ocean from the air, spotters launched on boats and six drum lines were set to try to catch the creature, which is believed to be at least three metres in length. But no shark was seen.

“There have been no further sighting of sharks in the area, so beaches have been cleared to re-open on Friday Feb 18 2022,” the mayor of Sydney’s Randwick local government area, Dylan Parker, said on the eve of the reopening.

Shortly after dawn yesterday, about a hundred swimmers at Bondi Beach stood in a circle on the sand and heads-bowed paid their respects to Nellist.