Grave fears for missing surfer after suspected shark attack at Granite Beach, South Australia
Fears are high for a missing Australian surfer following a suspected shark attack in the water where a man was fatally mauled just over a year ago.
The experienced surfer, in his late 20s, was attacked at Granites Beach on South Australia’s Eyre Peninsula just after 7pm on Thursday.
Emergency services rushed to the beach, about 700 kilometers from Adelaide, after receiving reports of a shark attack.
The search for the missing surfer, who was home visiting his family over Christmas, has begun and will resume on Friday.
The beach is closed to the public who have been urged to stay away.
A fisherman reportedly spotted an ‘aggressive’ great white shark in the area and took to Instagram to warn locals just hours before the surfer went missing.
The attack comes after Tod Gendle, 55, was killed by a four-metre great white shark while surfing at the same beach in October 2023.
Fellow surfer Jeff Schmucker, who raced on a jet ski to rescue him, said he saw Tod being pulled underwater by the huge shark.
The experienced surfer, in his late 20s, was attacked by a shark at Granites Beach on South Australia’s Eyre Peninsula just after 7pm on Thursday (pictured).
The attack comes after Tod Gendle, 55, was killed by a four-metre great white shark while surfing at the same beach in October 2023.
Mr Schmucker said he was attacked and surrounded several times by a ‘large female’ shark.
He saw no remains of the 55-year-old’s body, but told 7News he was able to retrieve part of his surfboard, from which a large bite mark had been removed.
Locals said Tod 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.