Man dies after three-metre shark bites his leg off on northern NSW beach
A male surfer has been killed after having his leg bitten off by a three-metre shark in Kingscliff in northern NSW.
NSW Police confirmed to the Herald on Sunday morning that the man had been killed after an incident involving a shark off North Point Avenue near Kingscliff.
Police said the man from Queensland, believed to be aged 60, was surfing when he was bitten.
"Police have been told several board-riders came to his assistance and fought the shark off before the injured man could be helped to shore," police said in a statement.
NSW Ambulance attended, but the man died at the scene.
Surf Life Saving NSW closed the beach and police instructed surfers to get out of the water following the incident.
"Beaches between Kingscliff and Cabarita have been cleared of swimmers and surfers by officers from Marine Area Command and the local Surf Lifesavers," police said.
A shark bite has apparently led to the death of a man off Kingscliff in northern NSW on Sunday morning.Credit:Not for syndication
"Officers from Tweed/Byron Police District will be liaising with the Department of Primary Industry to investigate the circumstances surrounding the death."
James Owen, a Tweed Shire councillor and a member of the Salt Surf Life Saving Club near where the surfer died, said the death was "a terrible, tragic event".
Many people had flocked to the beach, with ambulances and other emergency crews still at the scene just prior to midday.
Jet skies were also deployed to get people out of the water, although some surfers were still out further along the coast at Cabarita, Mr Owen said.
"It's a bit of a shock for everyone at the moment," he said. "There's a very sombre mood here."
"I don't know of a previous fatal shark incident in this area," Mr Owen added. "For whatever reason, this shark's decided to have a bite."
Conditions on Sunday were overcast in the area and there was talk about bait fish in the area, he said.
Authorities are yet to identify the type of shark but the Herald has been told this time of the year is when white sharks are active off that part of the coast near the border between NSW and Queensland.
The number of deaths from sharks nationally averages about one per year. In NSW, there had been 66 fatalities from 204 shark bites over the past 150 years prior to Sunday's death.
More to come.