Jan. 3 (UPI) — Authorities in South Australia are searching the waters of the Great Australian Bight for the body of a surfer presumed dead after being attacked by a shark.
According to witnesses, Lance Appleby, 28, was attacked by a shark just after 7 p.m. local time Thursday while surfing off a remote stretch of coast on the western side of the Eyre Peninsula, South Australia Police said in a news update.
“Police immediately responded and initiated a search with the assistance of the State Emergency Service and local volunteers.”
The search of the area, a popular surfing spot 435 miles west of Adelaide, resumed first thing Friday morning with a full air, land and water rescue operation but as of Friday afternoon, any sign of Appleby had yet to be found.
The beach remains closed and the public was being urged to stay away.
Senior Constable Rebecca Stokes told Australia’s ABC News that a witness rode out on a jet ski to retrieve Appleby’s surfboard but was unable to locate him.
Acting assistant commissioner of metropolitan operations John De Candia said police believed Appleby had fallen victim to a shark and that officers were preparing a report to pass to the coroner.
“It’s a very sad and tragic circumstance for the family. Any death in these circumstances is absolutely tragic and does have a wide impact on lots of people,” said De Candia.
The Adelaide Advertiser reported there had been multiple sightings Thursday of a large great white shark in the waters where Appleby was last seen.
The area is known to be patrolled by sharks.
In 2023, Todd Gendle, 55, was killed by a great white shark surfing off the same beach and Simon Baccanello, a 46-year-old teacher from nearby Elliston, died in May the same year while surfing off Walkers Rock Beach, 75 miles to the south.
Neither man’s remains were ever found.
