Kingscliff shark attack: Authorities warn whales, bait fish in area as hunt for killer great white continues
Beaches have reopened to the public after being closed off for almost three days.
Gold Coast
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KINGSCLIFF beaches have reopened by authorities who were hunting for a shark involved in Sunday’s fatal attack on a Gold Coast man.
It was confirmed by Surf Life Saving NSW this morning the stretch of beach from Kingscliff to Cabarita would reopen to the public.
A leading Gold Coast shark catcher is now working with NSW authorities to capture the great white.
The beaches had been closed since Sunday morning after Tugun local Robin ‘Rob’ Pedretti, 60, died at Salt Beach just south of Kingscliff soon after a great white shark took a bite out of his thigh while surfing with mates.
Tweed Byron Police District Inspector Matthew Kehoe said yesterday there were “a number of factors” behind the decision to close beaches.
“That includes a further sighting of a shark near Fingal Head (yesterday),” he said.
“There are whales that are close by, we’ve got a lot of bait fish in the water and we’ve also got a public holiday today.”
A NSW Surf Life Saving spokesman told the Bulletin multiple resources were being used in the search for shark.
“We do ask the public will respect directions given to them by Surf Life Savers and Life Guards,” he said.
“They will be getting members of the public out of the water.
“We have numerous jetskis (in the water) and drone assets in the sky.
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“There’s a large amount of marine activity in the area at the moment (as we are using) bait balls.”
On Sunday shark biologists from the NSW Department of Primary Industries (DPI) confirmed via aerial photographs the shark in question was a large, three metre great white.
Most beaches on the Gold Coast are protected by netting or drumlines.
No shark nets or drumlines were in place at Salt Beach near Kingscliff on Sunday and no sharks were detected on real-time listening devices.
Beachgoers have been urged to follow safety advice from Surf Life Saving NSW.
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