- Surfer ‘Todd’, grabbed by a shark on Tuesday
- He was surfing in Streaky Bay, SA
Parts of a 55-year-old man’s surfboard and wetsuit, believed to have been taken by a huge great white shark, have been recovered during the search efforts.
The surfer – known as Todd – was swimming near Granites Beach on the South Australian coast on Tuesday morning when witnesses saw a shark, believed to be up to 4.5 meters long, attacking him from the side.
Part of his board and part of his wetsuit were recovered on Wednesday afternoon.
The surfer has been identified as Todd, a ‘nomad’ who reportedly lived his life in search of the best waves Australian beaches had to offer.
Fellow surfer Jeff Schmucker, who raced on a jet ski to rescue the man, said he saw Todd being pulled underwater by the monster shark, believed to be as large as 15 feet.
Todd (pictured) was attacked by a shark in Streaky Bay, South Australia on Tuesday morning
Emergency services were photographed at the scene as authorities searched for the missing surfer
Mr Schmucker raced on a jet ski to where Todd had been attacked and was surrounded several times by a ‘large female’ shark, which he believed was responsible.
He saw no remains of the 55-year-old’s body, but told 7 News he was able to retrieve part of his surfboard, from which a large bite mark had been removed.
Eyre and Western Police immediately launched a search with the assistance of Police Water Operations, PolAir, State Emergency Service and local volunteers.
The search continued into the evening and resumed on Wednesday morning.
South Australia Police Inspector Paul Bahr told 9 News on Wednesday that police had recovered “some small items”.
During the search for the missing surfer, two men are seen on a boat
A police helicopter was also dispatched to assist with the operation
“These are objects that are not easy to identify, but we will continue to investigate them,” he said.
Locals said Todd had only recently moved to the area and was unfamiliar with the surf spot, which is known as a breeding ground for great white sharks.
Mr Schmucker said the incident was “devastating” for the “close-knit” community.
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.
It was believed he had been killed by a shark while surfing Walkers Rock near Ellison on the west coast of South Australia.
It is believed a smaller search will resume on Thursday, while the attack has become a matter for the South Australia coroner.