A 64-year-old surfer flown to the Royal Adelaide Hospital after he was bitten by a shark

The 64-year-old man has been flown to Adelaide after he was bitten in the state’s sixth shark attack in less than a year.

A man has been flown to hospital after he was bitten by a shark at Elliston on Tuesday afternoon – the second shark attack to grip the town in less than a year.

The Advertiser understands a 64-year-old teacher from Elliston Area School was surfing a few hundred metres off the coastline when the shark mauled him about 1pm on Tuesday.

It is believed the man was driven by another surfer to Elliston Hospital despite bleeding heavily.

He was flown by Royal Flying Doctor Service to Royal Adelaide Hospital, arriving about 7.20pm.

He had a bandaged right arm.

A popular surfing website, Beach Grit, claims the man paddled in-shore after he was “bitten between the ass and leg at Blacks by a Great White”.

The victim of the Elliston attack arrives in Adelaide. Picture: Keryn Stevens

“He paddled in but refused an ambulance, reflecting the chaotic nature of a Great White hit and the difference just a few millimetres can make,” the post reads.

Another surfing website, Swellnet, said the man was a local surfer from the town, which is located on the western coast of the Eyre Peninsula and has a small population of about 330 people.

District Council of Elliston councillor Fiona Matthews said the town was still coming to terms with the death of local teacher Simon Baccanello, 46, who was killed by a shark while surfing at Walkers Rock beach last May.

“It’s still pretty fresh for everyone, pretty raw, and this is just going to bring back memories,” Ms Matthews said.

“It’s not going to be good for the community, that’s for sure.”

Mr Baccanello’s body was never retrieved from the water but remnants of a wetsuit were found during an extensive search in the following days.

The aftermath of Tuesday’s Elliston attack. Picture: Swellnet

Tuesday’s events mark the sixth shark attack in South Australian waters in the past year, three of them fatal.

It comes just over a week after 15-year-old Khai Cowley was killed by a shark at Ethel Wreck on the Yorke Peninsula.

Khai’s heartbroken family remembered the young surfer as a courageous spirit whose passing has generated a “wave of love” from the local community.

His uncle and fellow surfer, Adam Barley, told The Advertiser his nephew’s courage in the water knew no bounds.

“He was very courageous, he would surf bigger waves than his dad Tim,” he said.

Mr Barley said Khai, a third generation surfer and state champion, was universally loved by all who knew him.

“He was an exciting young man who had the ability to bring everyone together. He was loved by all,” he said.

A Department for Education spokesperson said the department was aware of the incident and would be in touch with the school and the employee to provide support.

A GoFundMe fundraiser to cover the costs of his funeral raised more than $87,000 after his tragic death made headlines across the world.

On October 31 last year, 55-year-old Tod Gendle was also killed in a frenzied attack at the popular surfing spot Granites Beach, near Streaky Bay on the Eyre Peninsula.

On October 2, swimmer Pam Cook was mauled by a shark during her morning swim at Beachport but survived, while on November 10, diver Bridgette O’Shannessy was also mauled at Port Noarlunga.

Originally published as A 64-year-old surfer flown to the Royal Adelaide Hospital after he was bitten by a shark