Tragic Shark Attack Claims Life of Experienced Surfer in Sydney

Mon Sep 15 2025 14:20:52 GMT+0300 (Eastern European Summer Time)

A man has died following a suspected shark attack at Long Reef Beach in Sydney, prompting emergency services and local authorities to close the beach while investigations continue.

A shark attack has led to the death of a surfer at Long Reef Beach in Sydney. Witnesses report the man was an experienced surfer who had been in the water for about 30 minutes before the incident occurred, resulting in severe injuries. Emergency services were alerted, but the man died at the scene. The incident has led to beach closures as investigations are underway.

A man has died on a Sydney beach after being bitten by a suspected large shark, Australia's New South Wales police have said.

In a statement, the police said the man had been pulled out of the morning surf onto the shore at Long Reef Beach - but he died at the scene.

Two sections of a surfboard have been recovered and taken for expert examination, the statement read.

Saturday's incident has resulted in a string of closures in the popular area known as the Northern Beaches.

The state police said the emergency services received reports shortly after 10:00am local time on Saturday (00:00 GMT) that a man had suffered critical injuries.

At a news briefing later on Saturday, the police described the victim as an experienced surfer who had been in the water with his friends.

Witnesses state he had been surfing for about 30 minutes when he was attacked approximately 100m (328ft) off the shore, suffering the loss of multiple limbs.

Rod McGibbon, a duty officer from Surf Life Saving, reported that the victim was brought to the beach by fellow surfers. The beaches in that area are expected to remain closed for between 24 and 72 hours.

The victim's name has not been disclosed.

Local police officers and experts are now collaborating to determine the species of shark involved.

The last fatal shark attack in the Sydney area occurred in 2022, when a British diving instructor was killed by a great white shark. Prior to that, the previous deadly shark attack dated back to 1963.

On average, Australia records about 20 shark attacks each year, primarily occurring in New South Wales and Western Australia. The likelihood of dying from a shark bite is quite low, with a historical mortality rate of 0.9, indicating less than one death per year.