Great White Sharks Kill Australian Teen Surfer
Friends Watch in Horror as Youth Attacked

ADELAIDE, Australia (Dec. 16) - Two great white sharks attacked and killed a surfer while his friends watched in horror Thursday off a popular beach in the southern Australian city of Adelaide, authorities said.


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The 18-year-old man had fallen from a surfboard being towed by a power boat when the sharks attacked him off West Beach mid-afternoon, South Australia state Sea Rescue Squadron spokesman Fraser Bell said.

"He fell off the surfboard and the shark appeared and took him," Bell told reporters. "It tore him apart ... apparently it tore him in half and the other shark came in and took the rest."

Asked if there were any chance the victim had survived, Bell replied, "None whatsoever."


"It tore him in half and the other shark came in and took the rest."
-Fraser Bell, rescue spokesman

Police and state emergency services said there had been no sign of the victim or the sharks since the attack despite extensive searches off the coast.

Bell said the sharks were between 4.5 to five meters long (15-17 feet).

The attack took place about 250 meters (yards) from a crowded beach.

An unidentified woman on the beach told Seven Network television the shark that led the attack "caught his left arm and took him around the boat and then another shark has come in and they just took him to pieces."

Two of the three 16-year-old boys who were in the boat witnessed the attack and received medical treatment for shock. The four friends, all from Adelaide, had been on the water for just 30 minutes before the attack.

State police chief inspector David Lufty said beaches in the area would be closed as the search continued for the killer sharks.



Reuters
A visitor to Sydney's Aquarium watches a shark as it cruises above him.

He did not say what would happen to the sharks if found. Great whites are a protected species.

The tragedy is the second shark fatality in Australian waters within a week.

A 38-year-old man was killed by a shark while spearing fish on the Great Barrier Reef off northeast Australia on Saturday.

Two sharks were involved in a previous tragedy in July when a witnesses said a 29-year-old surfer was attacked by a great white shark and possibly a bronze whaler shark off the Australian west coast.

Experts said at the time that sharks were not known to hunt in pairs.


12/16/04 03:59 EST
May God bless that guy's family

DANG!

damn

HELL!

Ahh, they shouldn't have been in Adelaide in the first place.

MrSquiggle said:

Art!!

MrSquiggle said:

Funny u should say that because by coincidence I find myself in Adelaide, actually I live here. Next time ur down this way come visit. Oh and I usually frequent the beach next 2 the one where the attack took place so we can go swimming 2gether.

I heard about this earlier today...it's horrible, but unfortunately something that happens when humans venture into places where predatory animals are. I'm not, by any means, discounting what happened to this young man or his family...it's just tragic...

Also...this is sort of odd to me...

"State police chief inspector David Lufty said beaches in the area would be closed as the search continued for the killer sharks."

What are they going to do...arrest the sharks and bring them in for questioning?

applekisses said:

No! They will capture and kill them.

althom said:

Why?

applekisses said:

I don't know! That's what they do sometimes. Pointless really from my point of view.

althom said:

I agree...they're just doing what sharks do.

applekisses said:

Yeah! I guess the shark nets don't work over at Adelaide.

althom said:

Well...they're not totally foolproof anyway...also, sharks and other animals tend to get caught in them...I don't think they're a great idea.

Friday December 17, 1:18 PM
Australian authorities hunt shark that tore apart teen-ager
Authorities said Friday they would kill the shark that tore apart a young surfer near a popular south Australian beach as his friends reportedly tried to save him by beating the animal with oars.

The South Australia state government's acting leader Kevin Foley said a single 5-meter (16-foot) great white shark was believed responsible for the savage attack on 18-year-old Nick Peterson. Earlier, authorities said they thought two sharks were involved.

Although great whites are a protected species, Foley said the government would destroy the shark because it was a threat to swimmers.

"The government's position is quite clear," Foley told reporters. "Any large shark, in close proximity to the beaches of our state, particularly the city of Adelaide, should be destroyed. Officers are authorized to take whatever necessary action to ensure the destruction of a shark posing risk."

Rescuers on Friday found what they believed to be human remains in waters close to where Peterson was killed, South Australia's Sea Rescue Squadron spokesman Fraser Bell said.

The teen-ager was attacked after he fell from his surf board while it was being towed behind a motor boat Thursday at West Beach, close to Adelaide. His friends pounded the shark with oars in an attempt to make it release Peterson, The Australian newspaper reported, citing witnesses.

The shark ripped the young man apart, Bell told reporters. "Apparently it tore him in half," he said. Two 16-year-old boys who witnessed the attack were receiving medical treatment for shock.

Peterson's parents, Philip and Leonie, visited the beach Friday with other friends and family.

"Nick was a passionate and experienced water man who believed in the values of respect and encouragement of others," his father said.

"He was a keen surfer but his love didn't stop at his zest for the ocean," he added. "He was a brother and protector to others and a very positive influence in our lives."

Despite the attack, West Beach was not closed, though police warned swimmers to stay within limits patrolled by life guards.

Several people visited the beach early Friday, media reported, but very few ventured into the water despite warm weather and calm seas perfect for swimming. A group of Peterson's friends held hands as they walked across the sand.

The fatal shark attack was the third in recent months in Australian waters.

A 38-year-old man was killed by a shark while spearing fish on the Great Barrier Reef off northeast Australia on Saturday.

And two sharks attacked and killed a 29-year-old surfer off the Australian west coast in July. Experts said at the time said that sharks were not known to hunt in pairs.

Keeper of Australia's national Shark Attack File and operations manager at Sydney's Taronga Zoo, John West, said attacks would always occur in Australian waters and that the number of attacks did not appear to be on the rise.

He said it was uncommon for the victim to be eaten.

"Being killed and then eaten by a shark is not common at all. Most shark attacks relate to a single bite and a majority of them are let go," West told Australian Broadcasting Corp. radio.

http://asia.news.yahoo.co...6o2o0.html

What a tradegy. These creatures are amazing and we should understand that their domain is theirs.
I spent some time diving with great whites and sharing their space is indeed a humbling experience, they are built to kill and yet are capable of gentleness and being massivly inquisitive.
Any time we are in their back yard we need to be careful and show them respect.

for that young man and his family. This is an awful tradegy

HOLY SHIT

It's really sad for the surfer, AND for his friends...it's just a sick experience.

Sharks are still my favourite animals though

applekisses said:

You're right, sharks can't tell the difference between a human and a sea lion for instance,
just look at this picture.

noepie said:

I've heard of this too.

Oh fuck. That is so awful

Oh well, that's nature I guess.

horrific.

I live near several beaches here in Tampa and I'm always in the water.

Shark attacks are my primary fear.

WHen I take my nephews swimming with me, I'm always trying to stay as close to them as possible thinking I'm going to somehow come between them and a shark.

Luckily, we don't have great whites. But one of our species is the bullshark which will eat just about anything.

AsianBomb777 said:

That's funny!
I also take my nephews swimming with me...to keep sharks busy while I run away.

PANDURITO said:

You can run on water...?!


Oh , I get it...you are JESUS!!!

RocknRollDave said:

PS, if I don't see you before then, Lord, happy birthday for Staurday

RocknRollDave said:

Thou shall see me before Saturday

Be very afraid

Oops! I meant