The search has resumed for a 55-year-old man believed to have been killed by a 4m shark at an isolated South Australian beach, while a witness has spoken of the terrifying ordeal.
Beachgoers near Granite Rock, south of Streaky Bay, saw the surfer being pulled underwater by a massive great white shark about 10.20am on Tuesday.
Surfer Jeff Schmucker, who raced out on a jetski to try to save the man, told 7 News that he spoke to one of the people in the water who saw the attack, and the shark first struck the victim “from the side”.
“He went under once and came up again and went under again and that’s the last the lad saw of him,” Mr Schmucker said.
Speaking to Sunrise on Wednesday morning, Mr Schmucker said he arrived at the scene a “couple of minutes” after the attack and immediately knew “something was wrong”.
“There was no sign of anything,” he said.
The brave surfer went out on a jetski to where witnesses said the “commotion” had occurred.
Mr Schmucker was able to capture footage of the monster shark, believed to be responsible for the attack, circling his jetski.
“Within a minute, a big female (shark) turned up there,” he said.
“I knew the shark would come to me if I turned (the jetski) off.
“I circled with it for half a dozen circles figuring there might have been evidence of a body close to the shark. I knew I was very close to where it happened.
“I watched and watched (but) there was nothing more, (then) the shark left me.”
Mr Schmucker searched the water for a further 10 minutes with another man on a jetski but to no avail.
The surfer said he was able to retrieve what was left of the 55-year-old’s surfboard, which reportedly had a large bite mark taken out of it.
Eyre and Western Police also launched a search with the assistance of Police Water Operations, PolAir, State Emergency Service and local volunteers.
Mr Schmucker said the community had been rocked by the incident.
“Every time there’s a shark attack, it just brings up so much emotion with everybody that was involved in every attack,” he said.
“From the emergency services guys to people in the water and the community members, we’re such a small tight-knit community.
“It is devastating and has life-changing ramifications for families and people that are involved.”
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The attack comes just weeks after Pamela Cook was bitten by a shark at Beachport in the state’s southeast while swimming with local community group Beachport Sea Urchins and Slugs near the town’s jetty.
It also follows the death of teacher Simon Baccanello in May. He was believed to have been killed by a shark while surfing at Walkers Rock near Ellison on South Australia‘s west coast.
On Wednesday morning, SA Police said there was “no further information” on Tuesday’s incident other than that the search for the 55-year-old had resumed.
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