A teenage boy has been killed in a shark attack at a popular tourism and surfing spot on South Australia’s Yorke Peninsula.<\/p>\n
SA Police said they received a report a person had been “seriously injured” near Ethel Beach and responded to the incident, on the south-western tip of the peninsula, at 1.30pm.<\/p>\n
Police have since confirmed the teenage victim died in the attack.<\/p>\n
“Sadly, the body of a teenage boy was recovered from the water,” police said.<\/p>\n
Ethel Beach is located at Dhilba Guuranda-Innes National Park and the nearest town is Marion Bay.<\/p>\n
“It’s a tragic, tragic incident,” said Luke Sykora, a Marion Bay resident and surfer.<\/p>\n
“I have a seen a fair few sharks here over 22 years but that is the first fatal attack that we’ve had down here.<\/p>\n
“I wouldn’t wish it upon anyone … to even be at the same beach at the same time.<\/p>\n
“I think the town would be mourning – I think it’s very sad and very tragic, and a bit of an eye-opener.”<\/p>\n
The park, which is at the entrance to Spencer Gulf, is very popular with tourists, fishers and surfers, and is known for its sometimes strong currents and big swells.<\/p>\n
Stansbury resident Marty Goody, who has been surfing in the area for decades, estimated that the victim may have been about “30 to 40 metres off the shore”, given the conditions.<\/p>\n
“It was a beautiful day, there were a lot of people swimming and that down there and the surf was very small so they wouldn’t have been very far off the shore,” he said.<\/p>\n
“It’s the most open part to the open ocean, because when you come up the gulf you’ve got Kangaroo Island that stops all the swell from coming in, so that’s the main area that gets the swell.”<\/p>\n
Goody, who said the victim had recently travelled to the area with family, said he was concerned by an apparent increase in shark numbers.<\/p>\n
“It’s a very small surfing community on the Yorke Peninsula and everyone knows each other,” he said.<\/p>\n
“I’ve been surfing down here for 40 years and there’s always been sharks and you’ve always known there’s sharks there but there does seem to be a lot more of them now.”<\/p>\n
Reef Encounters Fishing Charters co-owner Nadine Valente said she saw road blocks out to Ethel Beach this afternoon.<\/p>\n
“I saw an ambulance, police car and rangers heading out there,” she said.<\/p>\n
The Marion Bay business owner said it was a shock to hear a shark attack had happened on the Yorke Peninsula.<\/p>\n
“It really hits close to home when it happens in your backyard,” she said.<\/p>\n
The shark attack is the latest of several in South Australian waters in recent months.<\/p>\n
In May, 46-year-old surfer Simon Baccanello was fatally attacked at Walkers Rock Beach near Elliston on Eyre Peninsula.<\/p>\n
In November another surfer, Tod Gendle, was killed further up the west coast near Streaky Bay.<\/p>\n
The 55-year-old was knocked off his board by a shark while he was paddling into the water near Granites Beach.<\/p>\n
Days after that attack, environmental science honours student Bridgette O’Shannessy suffered serious injuries when she was bitten on the head near the jetty at Port Noarlunga.<\/p>\n
In October, south-east woman Pam Cook was left with leg injuries when she was attacked by a shark while swimming near the jetty at Beachport.<\/p>\n