Officials said a British swimmer died in the first fatal shark attack in Sydney, Australia, since 1963. Simon Nellist, 35, was attacked by a shark while purportedly practicing for a charity swim in Little Bay Beach, resulting in catastrophic injuries that he sadly succumbed to. Nellist, a talented diving teacher and ocean lover, was apparently preparing for the Malabar Magic Ocean Swim, which has since been canceled out of respect for him.
Residents have been stunned by the attack in Little Bay, which is the first fatal attack in the area in 59 years and at a beach that is usually regarded one of Sydney’s safest. An inquiry into how the incident occurred is currently ongoing, and investigators are still searching for the man’s remains. The New South Wales Department of Primary Industries (DPI) announced in a statement that “based on footage submitted by the public, including eyewitness testimonies, DPI shark biologists think that a white shark, at least three metres in length, was likely responsible.”
“We heard a cry and then turned around; it appeared like a car had just crashed in the lake, a loud splash, and then the shark,” witness Kris Linto told 9 News. “It was a disaster.” Little Bay and the adjacent beaches will reopen on Friday following a 24-hour lockdown due to the lack of new sightings.
Shark attacks are relatively rare, especially now that Australia has implemented new monitoring methods. There have been three unprovoked shark attacks in Australia this year, all of which resulted in injuries but were not fatalities. Last year, there were only two shark-related deaths in Australia, indicating that you are more likely to be killed by a horse, cow, or kangaroo than by a shark.
However, this could be owing to our incredibly minimal exposure to the ocean predator, and precautions should be taken when swimming in shark-infested locations. Swimmers should always swim between the red and yellow flags in patrolled areas, avoid swimming in the early and late hours, avoid swimming near river mouths and murky waters, and avoid swimming near schools of baitfish, according to SurfLifeSaving NSW.
