Surfer dies after shark bites his leg off in Australia

Sydney, Australia, June 7 (efe-epa).- A 60-year-old surfer died on Sunday after a 10-foot long white shark bit his leg off while surfing on a beach near Kingscliff in southeast Australia, police said.

The New South Wales police citing witnesses said that a shark attacked a man at Salt Beach, South Kingscliff, shortly after 10 am.

The victim “was rendered first aid for serious injuries to his left leg but died at the scene,” the police said in a statement.

The police identified the man only as a 60-year-old surfer from Queensland.

The police said the beaches between Kingscliff and Cabarita have been cleared of swimmers and surfers by officers from Marine Area Command and the local Surf Lifesavers.

The beaches will remain closed until Monday morning as officers investigate the circumstances surrounding the death.

This is the third death from a shark attack this year in Australia that has one of the world’s highest incidences of shark attacks, but fatalities are rare.

In 2019, at least 27 such attacks were recorded in the country, although nobody lost their lives.

According to studies by the government scientific agency CSIRO in early 2018, Australia has about 2,210 adult specimens of white sharks, considered to be the most dangerous. EFE-EPA

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