A teenage boy died from a suspected shark attack while surfing off Australia's east coast, police said on Saturday, adding that surrounding beaches had been closed.
A witness described seeing a 2.5m great white shark at the scene.
The boy, 17, was attacked while surfing at Wooli Beach near Coffs Harbour, 380km south of Brisbane, police said, citing witnesses.
Several other surfers took the boy to shore, where he was treated for severe leg injuries but he died at the scene, they said. The boy's name and nationality were not disclosed.
Local authorities are conducting a formal investigation of the incident.
"I talked to one of the surfers and basically he said he was in the water and a really big great white shark came up and took a bite and [the boy] was screaming out," local woman Helen Dobra told Nine News.
"The surfer said the shark then came in again for another attack. He said another surfer bravely went and tried to get the shark off and then they pulled [the boy] out of the water."
Australia is known for a large number of unprovoked shark encounters with humans and Saturday's attack was the country's 10th so far in 2020, according to data published by the Taronga Conservation Society.
Reuters
