Bunker Beach, WA.
Disturbing news that a bodyboarder has been bitten in half in a crowded line up at Boneyards near Bunkers Beach, WA, has again raised concerns about surfing near seal colonies.
Here’s how the incident was reported by local media outlet Perthnow…
“The man was bodyboarding with friends when he was taken by the shark at 1pm on Sunday at a popular surfing spot, called Boneyards, near Bunker Bay about 3.5 hours south of Perth.
Dunsborough Police Sergeant Craig Anderson said the Wilyabrup man was deceased before he was pulled from the water by a friend and another member of the group he was bodysurfing with.
“Out of nowhere it would appear the young fellow has been taken by a shark, nobody actually saw the shark itself, but they retrieved the young man’s body in the water amongst some blood,” Sgt Anderson said.
“This morning you could have described it as perfect shark conditions, you know dark and gloomy water, overcast skies, light rain falling, there was whale action earlier in the morning in the bay, and there were seals about,” he said.
This is the first incident of its kind in the Bunker Bay area.
The beach has been closed and is expected to remain closed until at least midnight Monday.
Meanwhile, a vessel is sweeping the bay in search of the shark, which has yet to be spotted or identified, but it is believed to be a great white.
The 21-year-old moved to WA about five years ago from the Eastern States and police are currently notifying the man’s next of kin.
Sgt Anderson said the man was unmarried but had a girlfriend who recently returned overseas.
“You’ve got to take your hat off to the young fellow who was surfing with him and his mate for bringing (the victim) ashore, the nature of his injuries was significant, its not something that even volunteer rescuers or emergency services like to see, even my own staff, so its just something you have to deal with as a police officer and do the job you have to do,” he said.
Bunkers Beach Cafe manager Hamish McLeay said the water was full of people when the shark attack happened.
“There was another 20 people in the water as well,” Mr McLeay said.
“There is a big seal colony around the corner, he might have been mistaken for one of them, it’s been known to happen.”
Mr McLeay said he had managed the cafe for six years but that this was the first major shark attack he was aware of in the area.
A Yallingup woman, who did not want to be named, was at the beach with her husband and two young girls when the attack happened.
She said two men ran along the beach yelling at people to get out of the water.
“We were just going for a walk along the beach for Father’s Day and two young blokes came running up to us trying to get people out,” she said.
“There were mainly surfers in the water and everyone cleared out pretty quickly. People were just in panic.
“They pulled him out of the water and there was a lot of blood on the beach. There was just no hope, he was cut in half.”
Tracks offers it’s condolences to the victim and his family
Read Perthnow’s complete article: HERE
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