Tragic Shark Attack Claims Life of Surfer in Sydney

Sat Sep 13 2025 13:10:58 GMT+0300 (Eastern European Summer Time)

A suspected shark attack at Long Reef Beach in Sydney has resulted in the death of an experienced surfer, leading to beach closures and an investigation by local authorities.

In a tragic incident at Long Reef Beach, Sydney, a man lost his life after being bitten by a suspected large shark. The victim, an experienced surfer, was attacked while surfing with friends, prompting immediate emergency responses. Authorities are now investigating the species of shark involved as the beach remains closed for safety.

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 revealed that the man had been pulled out of the water at Long Reef Beach but unfortunately 'died at the scene.'

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

The incident has prompted a series of beach closures in the popular Northern Beaches area.

The police reported that emergency services received notifications shortly after 10:00 am local time on Saturday that 'a man had suffered critical injuries.'

During a news briefing later that day, police described the victim as an 'experienced surfer' who had been in the water with friends for approximately 30 minutes before the attack occurred about 100 meters off the shore, resulting in him losing 'a number of limbs.'

Rod McGibbon, a duty officer from Surf Life Saving, stated that the victim was brought to the beach by fellow surfers. He projected that the beaches would remain closed for between 24 and 72 hours.

The victim’s identity has yet to be publicly disclosed. Local police and experts are collaborating to identify the species of shark involved in this unfortunate incident.

This marks a rare and tragic event, following the previous fatal shark attack in the Sydney area in 2022 when a British diving instructor was killed by a great white shark. Before that incident, there had been no fatal attacks since 1963.

Each year, Australia experiences roughly 20 shark attacks, predominantly occurring in New South Wales and Western Australia, although deaths from shark bites are remarkably infrequent, with a mortality rate of just 0.9 over the past century, equating to less than one person annually.