Sydney shark attack leaves surfer dead, beaches closed

Authorities said the shark species is unknown; beaches remain closed as lifeguards patrol on jetskis

A surfer attacked by a large shark at a Sydney beach died of his injuries, police said on Saturday, the first such incident in more than 3-1/2 years, prompting the closure of several beaches.

The victim, yet to be identified, was attacked about 100 m (328 ft) from shore while surfing with friends just after 10 a.m. at Long Reef Beach, in the north of the capital of the Australian state of New South Wales, police said.

He was pulled from the water by other surfers, but had lost too much blood and died at the scene, said police superintendent John Duncan of Sydney's Northern Beaches unit.

"He'd suffered catastrophic injuries," Duncan told a televised press conference.

An experienced surfer, the victim left behind a wife and young daughter, he said.

Two sections of a surfboard were retrieved and taken for examination, police added.

It was not yet known what species of shark was responsible for the attack that led to the beach closures, authorities said. Lifeguards on jetskis were monitoring the beaches for the shark, the Northern Beaches Council said in a statement.

The death is the first in a shark attack in Australia's most populous city since a swimmer killed off a beach in February 2022 became Sydney's first such fatality since 1963.

There have been three other fatal shark attacks in Australia in 2025, data from the state-run operator of Sydney's Taronga Zoo shows. In March, a surfer was killed by a shark in shallow water on a remote beach in Western Australia.