Surfer Dies in Shark Attack off Australian Beach

A surfer died after being bitten on the arm by a shark off a surfer beach on Australia's east coast on Sunday.

The horrific attack took place off Emerald Beach, some 342 miles (550 kilometers) north of Sydney. Local media reported that the man was believed to be in his late 20s.

An ambulance official from New South Wales said fellow surfers and bystanders tried to give the man CPR before medical help arrived but could not save him.

https://twitter.com/NSWAmbulance/status/1434323739932442627?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1434365400263790592%7Ctwgr%5E%7Ctwcon%5Es2_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.dw.com%2Fen%2Faustralia-surfer-dies-after-shark-attack%2Fa-59088938

On the same page, Aaron Armstrong, a witness, pointed out that Emerald Beach was popular among locals, and many people were enjoying swimming in the water and celebrating Father's Day on the beach.

"It will change the fabric a little bit for a little while in EB, that's for sure," Armstrong told public broadcaster ABC, noting that it was the first shark attack in the community as far as he knew.

The most recent fatal shark attack in Australia was in May off the coast of Forster, some 137 miles (220 kilometers) north of Sydney.

The country ranked behind only the United States in the number of unprovoked sharks encounters with humans in 2019, according to the University of Florida's International Shark Attack File.