Witnesses describe shark attack victim Lance Appleby’s final moments before tragedy struck

Witnesses have described how a 28-year-old was dragged underwater while surfing – with just his board and a tattered leg rope found.

The final moments before 28-year-old surfer Lance Appleby was fatally mauled by a shark off the Eyre Peninsula have been revealed, with reports of a great white in the area shared hours before his death.

Prior to Thursday’s incident, multiple reports of a shark in the area had been shared online, with local fisherman Jeff Schmucker warning of a “large great white” acting “aggressively” near Granites beach.

Mr Schmucker told 7NEWS witnesses to the attack saw Mr Appleby – who was surfing with a large group – flipped off a wave before being dragged underwater while swimming back to his board.

Following the attack, police said a local on a jet ski went to the site of the incident and retrieved Mr Appleby’s board with “part of a leg rope and a bite out of (it)” – but found no other trace of the missing surfer.

Caitlin Bennie posted footage of a large shark at Sceale Bay, 30km south of Streaky Bay, on January 2.

Local fisherman Jeff Schmucker also posted on Instagram: “Heads up to all surfers at granites today. There is a large aggressive Great white very close to Granites/Indicators.’’

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There were warnings about a great white shark around Streak Bay before a surfer was taken. Picture: Jeff Schmucker

Mr Schmucker told FIVEAA he was “very close friends with the young man, very great friends’’.

“My children grew up with him at school, he was in my youngest daughter’s class,’’ he said.

Mr Schmucker said a friend of his had arrived at the area a minute after the attack and “saw his board still floating’’.

He said his friend had taken a jet ski out and found the board about 500m from shore.

Police and emergency services were called to the Westall Way Loop at Westall, an area on the beach known as Granites, after reports that a 28-year-old man from Port Lincoln had been attacked by a shark while surfing at about 7.10pm on Thursday evening.

The man taken has been identified as Lance Appleby, an avid surfer and well-known footballer.

Local MP Sam Telfer says the latest shark attack at Streaky Bay on the Eyre Peninsula is “confronting’’ for the local community.

“It’s a popular surfing area that locals and visitors use so it’s certainly pretty confronting for people when this happens,’’ Mr Telfer said. “It’s really hit home in Streaky Bay. It’s the same spot, the same sort of scenario where there’s been lots of people in the water, there have been people surfing over the last week.’’

In a statement, Streaky Bay mayor Travis Barber said the community was “hurting and we ask for understanding as we collectively grieve and support one another’’.

Sam Telfer. Picture: Ben Clark

“In times like these, it is important to remember that the individual was not only a valued member of our community, but also a cherished son, family member, and friend,’’ he said.

On the West Coast Shark Alerts page, Jonas Woolford posted: “Dear community, there has been a devastating fatality at Granites, Streaky Bay. Our thoughts are with the family, friends and fellow surfers. It is a traumatising and sad time, please get around each other.’’

University of South Australia Dr Brianna Le Busque said there was no hard evidence that shark numbers were increasing in SA waters but the Eyre Peninsula was then “perfect habitat for white sharks’’ with access to food such as seals and tuna.

“It’s a known nursery or breeding ground for white sharks really close to where this bite occurred,’’ she said.

Dr Le Busque said there was also no evidence to show shark attacks were increasing nationally, but acknowledged scientists didn’t have an answer as to why so many had occurred in the Eyre Peninsula.

“It does appear shark bites do seem to occur in clusters,’’ she said. “All of the shark scientists are out in the boats in Lincoln, trying to figure it out, but we don’t know why yet, but it does seem these clusters occur.’’

Originally published as Witnesses describe shark attack victim Lance Appleby’s final moments before tragedy struck