Man dies after shark attack at Greenmount Beach, Coolangatta
The 46-year-old man who was mauled to death by a great white shark on the Gold Coast on Tuesday afternoon – the first fatal shark attack there since nets were introduced in the ’60s – was a 46-year-old real estate agent, it can be revealed. It comes as new details reveal the likely size of the shark that attacked him.
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A Gold Coast surfer has been mauled to death in a suspected great white shark attack as one of the city’s most picturesque beaches was transformed in to a horrific scene of swirling blood and shattering screams.
Longboard rider and real estate agent Nick Slater, 46, was attacked by a huge shark at Greenmount Beach just after 5pm yesterday and died within minutes, despite the frantic efforts of surfers, lifesavers and paramedics in the first fatal attack at a Gold Coast beach in more than 60 years.
Surf cameras capture fatal great white shark attack on Gold Coast
One of the shark’s teeth remained embedded in Mr Slater’s board in a terrifying attack that was captured on Coastalwatch surf cameras.
Fisheries officers have analysed the tooth, which measures almost 5cm, suggesting the shark was a 3.5-metre great white shark.
It was the first fatal attack at a Gold Coast beach since the controversial shark net program was introduced in the 1960s, and comes just three months after the death of Tugun surfer Rob Pedretti off the Tweed Coast.
Greenmount, one of the Gold Coast’s favourite family beaches, is protected by shark nets, with the terrible tragedy set to reignite the shark net debate.
Mr Slater, who lives in Miami, was surfing alone when the giant shark latched on to him in a bite which stretched from his hips to his knees.
He went into shock almost instantly and died minutes later on the sand as a woman’s wailing screams rang out across the beach.
Police were last night attempting to contact the his family.
Supporters of the shark net program have long pointed to the absence of any fatal attacks at Gold Coast beaches since nets were introduced in the 1960s.
The rare fatal attacks in Gold Coast waters over the following decades have taken place in the city’s network of canals, a haven for bull sharks.
A large shark, believed to have been a great white, forced the closure of several southern Gold Coast beaches in recent months, but there were no confirmed sightings for several weeks.
Yesterday’s attack happened just off the famed Greenmount point, and under the watchful gaze of a shark tower, long abandoned.
Clubbies from the Tweed Heads and Coolangatta surf life saving club leapt into action, but there was nothing they could do.
As darkness fell last night at Greenmount, water police and the police helicopter were attempting to locate the killer, but there was no further sighting before the search was suspended after dark.
Queensland Ambulance Service senior operations supervisor William Houghton praised the board riders, lifeguards, surf lifesavers and paramedics who tried in vain to save Mr Slater, saying they were distraught.
He said QAS received the call about the attack at 5.08pm.
“It’s been pretty traumatic for them,” he said.
“The scene was pretty chaotic, there was a lot of bystanders there.
“Bystanders were obviously shaken up, it was a pretty traumatic event for everybody concerned.
“We’ve offered them support.”
One boardrider who was surfing just metres from the attack said he saw the water swirling with blood.
Visibly shaken, he declined to give his name, but said he was coping “all right”.
Brisbane’s Tim Follett was walking around Greenmount headland to grab dinner at nearby Rainbow Bay when he saw the chaos unfold.
“It was like the whole beach just froze,” he said.
“There was a lady screaming, it was horrible.”
Another witness said he spotted a board floating and a body next to it.
He said he helped three others drag the surfer ashore with the board.
“We got him on to the sand and there was a lifeguard 4WD there already with a stretcher so we put him on the stretcher but he was pretty much already gone by then,” he said.
The Gold Coast’s chief lifeguard, Warren Young, was also shocked.
“It was a beautiful afternoon,” he said.
“There was really good visibility. You just never know, do you? It’s a terrible thing that’s happened.”
Shocked locals have said they were in disbelief.
Matt Lowe wrote: “Pretty wild. My kids surf there all the time at about this time of the afternoon.”
Karen Ellery Pritchard wrote: “OMG...the beach is netted...poor man, my heart goes out to his family. My hubby swims here every day, he’s a volunteer lifesaver at Greenmount...so very sad...”
The last fatal shark attack on the Gold Coast was in 2003, when 84-year-old Bob Purcell was killed by a bull shark in the Robina canals.
Southern Gold Coast beaches from the border to Burleigh Heads will be shut today.
Industry rocked by tragedy in paradise
Tourism leaders, politicians and animal experts have been left “shocked and saddened” by the tragedy that rocked the Gold Coast yesterday.
The fatal shark attack, which claimed the life of 46-year-old surfer Nick Slater at Greenmount Beach yesterday, was the first in the area for more than 60 years.
Queensland Tourism Industry Council president Daniel Gschwind said the incident was a “tragedy” during a difficult period for the industry.
“Thankfully it’s very, very rare but when somebody gets hurt in one of our tourism hot spots it’s always a tragedy,” he said.
“But this is about someone’s life and that is the priority here.
“We’re devastated ... for the family and the people involved.”
Opposition Leader Deb Frecklington said her “thoughts are with the family and close friends of the victim as they deal with (this) unimaginable grief”.
Fisheries Minister Mark Furner called the attack “an absolute tragedy”.
“Right now our thoughts are with the man’s family and friends.”
Mr Furner said an investigation was underway into the circumstances of the attack.
Member for Currumbin Laura Gerber said the community had been rocked by the news.
Sea Shepherd representative Jonathan Clark said the organisation offered its deepest condolences to the victim, his family and the people who attempted to rescue him.
“But we’d like to say that this absolutely demonstrates that we should have modern technologies in place,” he said.
“We have modern technologies available that increase safety.”
He added there was no point going after the animal involved.
Gold Coast Mayor Tom Tate said beaches would be shut from the border to Burleigh Heads today as lifeguards and the Westpac helicopter patrolled the area.
“Like every Gold Coaster tonight, I am both shocked and saddened to learn of this terrible tragedy,” he said.
Originally published as Man dies after shark attack at Greenmount Beach, Coolangatta