Ballina shark attack victim Matt Lee saved by bravery of three men
THE bravery of three men gave shark attack victim Matt Lee a fighting chance of survival after a 4m white pointer savagely mauled his legs on the state’s north coast yesterday.
Ballina surfer Matt Lee fighting for life after being mauled by shark
Attack occurred near site of fatal great white attack on Japanese surfer
Mates’ bravery has given Mr Lee a chance at survival
Mr Lee and partner Suzy Gerada recently moved to new house in area
THE bravery of three men gave shark attack victim Matt Lee a fighting chance of survival after a 4m white pointer savagely mauled his legs on the state’s north coast yesterday.
Like most mornings, the 32-year-old grabbed his bodyboard and headed for a paddle in “magic conditions” off the north rock wall at East Ballina.
But just after 10am the great white shark attacked, leaving gaping wounds in both of Mr Lee’s legs.
In February, in near identical conditions and at the same time of the morning, Japanese surfer Tadashi Nakahara was killed by a huge great white at Shelly Beach, the next beach along.
The 41-year-old died at the scene from severe blood loss, and beaches were closed along the popular tourism strip for a week.
GREAT WHITE SHARK BELIEVED TO BE RESPONSIBLE FOR BITING BODYBOARDER
Now, less than five months since the town mourned his death, they are reeling in shock again.
It was Mr Lee’s two mates who acted immediately and with no concern for their own safety, pulling the popular Ballina local to shore.
Ballina retiree Allan Everson was walking along the north wall when he heard a surfer yelling and waving.
The 63-year-old rang triple-0 immediately, staying on the line with paramedics for 45 minutes.
“I was talking to the lady all the time. She asked me to get down there and ascertain his injuries,” he said.
“When I got there the two young guys who brought him in were just holding him, trying to help him. But then when I had a look at the injuries I said you’d better get the helicopter in straight away.
“They had a tourniquet on top of his legs ... what was there. I said you need to get the helicopter here, this guy needs urgent attention.”
The men who helped pull Mr Lee on to the beach stood watch over him as paramedics and the Westpac helicopter rescue team spent more than an hour stabilising him.
One of them was too traumatised to talk when approached by The Daily Telegraph.
Friends and family rushed to the Gold Coast Hospital to support Mr Lee, who had emergency surgery yesterday afternoon.
A neighbour said Mr Lee and his partner Suzy Gerada had recently moved into a new home in Ballina.
The cafe where Ms Gerada works, not far from Lighthouse Beach, put up a sign informing customers they were closed “in respect to our friends”, as Ballina mayor David Wright immediately closed all beaches following the attack.
Fisheries officers spent hours following the shark as it swam nearby off Lighthouse Beach.
Mr Wright said he was uncertain whether the Skullcandy Oz Grom Open — one of the countries biggest junior surfing competitions — would proceed as planned today.
“We’ve got 270 surfers from all over Australia at Lennox Head so we’ll need to work out what we’re going to do,” Mr Wright said.
Last night, the organisers of the six-day event said they would conduct aerial and water searches this morning to make sure the area was safe before the competition began.
Richmond Local Area Command acting duty Inspector Wayne Crotty described the predator as “a large shark”, and a Lennox Head surfer told The Daily Telegraph a huge great white had swum under surfers at a nearby beach recently.
Locals told The Daily Telegraph large pods of dolphins had been seen coming close to shore near the rock wall chasing fish in recent weeks.
Large whites, bull sharks and tigers have also been following the humpback whales as they travel north. “The beaches are currently closed for a period of 24-hours at this stage until the matter is reassessed,” Insp Crotty said.
Following Mr Nakahara’s death, a number of great whites were seen from the air close to the river mouth and north towards Lennox Head.
Northern Region Lifeguard co- ordinator Scott McCartney said there had “been a lot of rain and run-off” that potentially increased shark activity in the area.
“It is alarming how frequently there are sightings or shark attacks in this area,” Mr McCartney said.
Late last night, the Department of Primary Industries issued a permit authorising the shark to be killed.
Recent shark attacks on the north coast:
Feb. 7, 2015: Jabez Reitman, 35, Byron Bay. Surfer bitten by great white shark south of Byron Bay. It took a chunk out of his back before he escaped and swam to shore.
Feb. 8, 2015: Tadashi Nakahara, 41, Ballina. Japanese national killed by 4m great white shark while surfing at Shelly Beach at Ballina.
Sep. 16, 2014: Paul Wilcox, 50, Byron Bay. British expat businessman killed by a great white shark while swimming at Clarkes Beach in Byron Bay.
Nov. 30, 2013: Zac Young, 19, Coffs Harbour. Teenage surfer killed in front of his friends by a monster tiger shark at Sapphire Beach north of Coffs Harbour.
Apr. 8, 2008: Peter Edmonds, 16, BallinaPopular schoolboy attacked and killed by a great white shark while bodyboarding at Ballina’s Lighthouse Beach, the same place as yesterday’s attack.
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