Tuncurry Beach shark attack: Police praise friends who pulled victim to shore

Three friends tried their best to save a man from Sydney’s northern beaches, who died after being bitten by a great white shark while surfing on the NSW Mid-North Coast.

The efforts of three men who tried desperately to save the life of a surfer fatally bitten by a shark yesterday were praised by police as the horror of the attack was revealed.

The man’s cries could be heard in the surf during the attack at Tuncurry Beach, on the Mid-North Coast, when he was mauled by the great white shortly before 11.20am.

He sustained a significant bite wound to his upper leg.

Friends of the victim who were surfing nearby rushed the man, aged in his 50s, to shore and with the assistance of a retired paramedic provided CPR before emergency services arrived.

A man has died after being bitten by a shark at Tuncurry Beach on the Mid-North Coast.

He reportedly suffered a cardiac arrest at the scene and was unable to be saved. It is believed the man, from Sydney’s northern beaches, was on holiday in the area.

Superintendent Christopher Schilt said the victim called out to warn others as he was attacked.

“It’s believed when the ­attack occurred the man actually saw the shark and called out to try to warn others,” Supt Schilt said.

“Very heroically his friends tried to pull him back into shore after he had been ­attacked. Nobody else was ­injured in the process.”

Supt Schilt said the man’s family members were contacted shortly after the incident. “Understandably it’s a tragic situation and our thoughts and prayers go out to the man’s family at this time,” he said.

Paramedics were unable to save a man mauled by a shark on the Mid-North Coast. Picture: 9News.

NSW Ambulance confirmed “several crews” were called to the scene and CPR was performed on the man on the beach after he experienced a cardiac arrest.

He was unable to be saved.

Tuncurry Beach and the nearby Forster Main Beach have been closed for 24 hours as authorities comb the area for shark activity.

A bystander who tried desperately to revive the man as he lay on the beach in the minutes after the attack said the incident felt as if it happened in slow motion.

“It was a blur,” the woman, who did not want to be named, said.

“(It) seemed to be forever (we were) waiting for paramedics to arrive and take over.

“My mate saw the attack and I got on the scene just after his friends brought him out of the water.

“A local took on CPR and rang for assistance. I did some CPR along with a few others.”

Kellie Hilder and her daughter Chloe say Tuesday's shark attack at Tuncurry Beach had been a long time coming. Picture: Dan Mills.

Tuncurry resident Kellie Hilder said her daughter Chloe had stopped surfing at the beach due to recent shark sightings.

“For the past six months she’s been too scared to go out there,” Ms Hilder said.

“There are so many sharks she’s given up surfing.”

Ms Hilder said Tuesday’s shark attack was upsetting but not unexpected.

“It’s just sad, very sad for the family,” she said.

“I’m really grateful my daughter was not in the water at this time.”

The Department of Primary Industries said it was deploying SMART drumlines at Tuncurry Beach as part of its Shark Incident Response Plan.

“DPI is assisting NSW Police and Surf Life Saving NSW to monitor the area and provide technical advice and resources as required,” a DPI spokeswoman said.

“Drones have been deployed in the area.

“NSW DPI shark scientists have analysed photographs of the bite and determined a white shark of approximately 4.5 metres in length is likely responsible for the bite.”