Shark victim remembered as search for body concludes

Friends and family are mourning the “fiercely loyal, compassionate and caring” surfer as the four day search for his body concludes.

The search for the body of 28-year-old surfer Lance Appleby has concluded after four days.

South Australia Police confirmed on Sunday search efforts have now concluded.

“The search for a surfer off the coast of Streaky Bay, on the Eyre Peninsula, has now concluded,” police said in a statement.

“Police with the assistance of SES, CFS, Council members including the Mayor, and locals have searched the area over the past four days but sadly have not yet located his body.”

It comes four days after the surfer was last seen on Thursday night when locals observed him being attacked by a shark.

Lance Appleby, 28, who is believed to have been fatally attacked by a shark on Thursday evening while surfing near Granites beach, south of Streaky Bay on the Eyre Peninsula. Picture: Facebook

Community member and family friend Jeff Schumaker said that in his final moments, Mr Appleby “caught a wave and flipped off the wave and proceeded to paddle back, and he was attacked”.

The surfboard Mr Appleby used was then identified by a jet skier a short time later, with Mr Schumaker confirming it had a bite mark in it.

Mr Appleby was in the Eyre Peninsula – where he had been raised – as part of a family visit for Christmas.

It’s understood he had moved to the Gold Coast in 2023 for work.

In a tribute shared by his workplace, Allconstruct Interiors Pty Ltd said, “RIP to great young talent Lance Appleby was a big part of Allconstruct team last year and quickly became friends.”

In a post uploaded on Saturday, Mr Appleby’s brother Kenneth said relatives were experiencing “impossible pain.”

“On Thursday evening, we received the tragic news that our much-loved brother Lance had been taken by a Great White Shark while surfing at Granites,” he said.

“The only solace we can find is knowing that Lance was doing what he loved, with a beaming smile on his face.

“Lance was the best brother we could ever ask for. He was caring, fiercely loyal, compassionate, and always up for an adventure. He wore his heart on his sleeve and was never afraid to express his emotions or talk about them.

“We would give anything to have him back.”

The Granites beach was closed to the public on Thursday and remained closed as of Saturday, with members of the public urged to avoid the area.

Streaky Bay, where Mr Appleby was last seen alive. Picture: Supplied.

The stretch of coastline is understood to be a hotspot for sharks, according to the Adelaide Advertiser, with UniSA shark researcher Brianna Le Busque telling the masthead in 2023 great whites frequent the area as the “water goes (from) really deep to really shallow quickly”.