Police recover the body of a man attacked by a shark at Byron Bay, NSW. Photo: Lochie Alvin
A shark has killed a man at Byron Bay, on the north coast of New South Wales.
The man, who police said was aged in his 50s, was swimming alone off Clarkes Beach when attacked by the shark.
Before emergency services arrived, shocked witnesses warned people further along the beach to get out of the water.
An emotional woman walking down the beach said, “Don’t get in the water, a man just got bitten by the shark. There is blood everywhere, they think he is going to die.”
Police said the man suffered a significant injury to his leg. The shark responsible is believed to be a four-metre white pointer.
The man was pronounced dead a short time after the ambulance arrived.
Bystanders watched as a woman ran to the scene, her panic turning to hysteria when confronted by the white body bag. A relative formally identified the man and confirmed he was a local.
Numerous helicopters circled the water in search of the shark after the attack.
