Shark attack: Beaches closed, man taken to hospital after shark attack near Ballina
THE Ballina man who was victim of a terrifying shark attack this morning has been identified as a local teacher. All beaches nearby have been closed for 24 hours following the incident.
Beaches & Fishing
Don't miss out on the headlines from Beaches & Fishing. Followed categories will be added to My News.
A BALLINA man involved in a terrifying shark attack this morning is a teacher at the local public school.
Lee Jonsson, 43, was attacked while surfing at Shelly Beach, near Ballina just after 8am Qld time.
Mr Jonsson, who is a Ballina primary school teacher, transported himself to Ballina District Hospital just after the attack.
He was then taken to Lismore Base Hospital suffering a 20cm wound following a bite to his left calf.
A Northern NSW Local Health District spokeswoman said Mr Jonsson was in a stable condition.
Ballina Mayor David Wright, who attended the scene at Shelly Beach this morning, said the man was surfing when he was attacked.
“He said he was bitten on the leg by a 5ft shark which pulled him off the board,” Cr Wright said.
“He said he tried to hit the shark with his board.
“He has an 8 inch cut on his leg and has now been taken to Lismore Base Hospital to have the wound cleaned.”
A spokesman for Surf Life Saving NSW said the man had received lacerations to his lower leg.
The injuries are believed to be non life threatening.
All beaches from South Ballina to Lennox Head have been closed.
“The beach will be closed for at least the next 24 hours,” the NSW Surf Life Saving spokesman said.
“The decision to reopen the beach will be made in consultation with council, police, surf life saving and the DPI”.
Several officials were on the scene this morning, liaising with local council to determine the species of shark, which was understood to be about 1.5 metres in length.
A second trial of shark nets took place at Northern NSW beaches, including Shelly Beach from November 2017 to May 2018.
There are currently no nets along beaches in the region.
A NSW Department of Primary Industries (DPI) spokeswoman said Ballina Council made the decision to close all beaches in the immediate vicinity for 24 hours and Surf Lifesaving NSW had deployed drones and jet skis.
“SMART Drumlines were also deployed off Shelly Beach and adjacent beaches this morning (following the incident.)
“A DPI shark biologist will assess photographs of the wounds to try to determine the species responsible for the incident.
“DPI will work with NSW Police to determine what action should be taken to minimise any ongoing risk.”
The spokeswoman did not comment on whether shark nets would be trialled again, or installed permanently throughout the region.
The man was attacked at the same beach where Japanese surfer Tadashi Nakahara was killed by a great white shark in 2015.
That same year, bodyboarder Mat Lee had both of his legs mauled by a great white shark on Lighthouse Beach, next to Shelly Beach.
From 2014 to 2016 there were 11 attacks on the NSW north coast. In November 2016, the state government installed five nets off Ballina.
The attack has renewed calls for shark nets to be used on beaches around Ballina, after the NSW Department of Primary Industries ceased trialling shark nets in August.
One resident, who asked not to be named, said the attack will have a negative impact on tourism in the region and has called for a referendum on the use of nets.