Drone footage shows 1.5m shark lurking under surfer Matt Wilkinson’s board
A drone has helped save a pro surfer from a potential shark attack, warning him to get out of the water as a 1.5m creature swam under his board just off a northern NSW beach. SEE THE VISION
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A drone has helped save a pro surfer from a potential shark attack in a terrifying Mick Fanning-like encounter on a northern NSW beach.
Byron Bay-based world championship tour competitor Matt Wilkinson was surfing Sharpes Beach at Ballina on Wednesday when the lifesaving drone alerted him to a 1.5m shark which had surfaced just behind him.
Amazing footage of the close call has been released by Surf Life Saving NSW, which operates the drone service to monitor beaches in the Ballina area
It was the latest shark scare for Wilkinson, who competed in the heat before Fanning had his dramatic encounter with a great white during the 2015 Jeffreys Bay Pro in South Africa.
Wilkinson said he was aware the drone was overhead and heard the warning over its loud speaker, but was still shocked to encounter a shark at such close range.
He said he was aware the drone was overhead and heard the warning, but was still shocked to encounter the shark at such close range.
“I was surfing out the back at Sharpes Beach and just cruising on my own and I heard a splash and a noise and looked around and couldn’t see anything,”he said.
“Then the drone came down and told me that there was a dangerous shark in the area, return to the beach.
“I got to the shore feeling a bit weird and the lifeguards showed me the footage and I realised how close it came without knowing it was there. It looks like it’s going for my leg and it’s changed its mind.
“I feel grateful and pretty weird at the same time but happy it decided not to go me. When I saw the footage I saw the similarities, like I had a yellow leg rope on and Mick’s board was yellow is what I was thinking about when I came in.
“I called my wife because I didn’t want her to see the footage before I saw it. She doesn’t want me surfing for a couple of days now.”
The drone operator, Beau Monks from the Australian UAV Service, said he’d just launched his seventh flight for the day when he spotted the shark near the surfer.
“It sort of came out of nowhere, then went right up to Matt. It moved pretty fast. I was tracking it and notified the lifeguards and used the speaker on the drone to get everyone out of the water. Within 10 seconds it was at the surfer and five seconds later it was gone,” he said.
“I’d spotted a large baitball and some whales and dolphins earlier in the day and had alerted the lifeguards to that.”
Drones, or unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), also proved vital only a few weeks ago when a large shark was spotted near competitors at the Tweed Coast Pro World Surf League event at Cabarita.
The event start was postponed until the area was clear and safe for competition to commence.
UAVs are being flown by Surf Life Saving NSW every day during the school holidays at beaches in Ballina, just some of the 34 beaches funded for drone flights from the NSW Government’s $8 million 2020/21 NSW Shark Program.
Following the incident, Sharpes Beach was evacuated and closed until Thursday.
“It’s nice to know the drones go up and down the beach and can see what we can’t and it makes you feel more comfortable,” Wilkinson said.
“It makes other people aware that there are sharks out there but usually with no intention. It’s nice to know if there’s a big one around you can just come in and let them go by
“I’ve been surfing with sharks my whole life and I understand they’re there and know enough about them to know they have not too much interest in humans. I’m just glad today the shark reconsidered at the last second.”
Originally published as Drone footage shows 1.5m shark lurking under surfer Matt Wilkinson’s board
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