Australian Sharks Kill Second Surfer

C A N B E R R A, Australia, Sept. 25 -- Sharks killed a surfer off South Australia today in the second fatal attack near theremote coastline in two days, police said.

Police spokeswoman Amanda Francis said a 17-year-old local youth was taken by a shark while surfing about 160 feet off Black Point, three miles north of Elliston, at 12:50p.m. local time today.

Despite popular belief that shark attacks are common in Australia, shark experts said this was the first time in 23 years there were two fatal attacks in the same state in one year. On average one person a year is killed by sharks in Australia.

“It is very unusual to have two fatal shark attacks in oneyear, let alone two days and on the same stretch of coast,” JohnWest from the Australian Shark Attack File told Reuters

“But I don’t think it will be the same shark. The attackswere too far apart.”

Assailant Remains Unidentified

Two surfers witnessed the latest attack, but could not givedetails of the shark, only seeing its tail.

“So far we have only found bits of the surfboard and wehave boats out on the water and are searching the beach for hisbody,” Francis told Reuters. The police have not released thename of the victim.

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The attack came a day after a 25-year-old New Zealandsurfer on his honeymoon was killed by a great white shark offthe remote Cactus Beach, 370 miles west of Adelaideand about 124 miles west of Elliston.

Witnesses saw a great white shark of over 13feet long circle and attack the surfer early Sunday morningabout 80 yards off the isolated beach, known as anarea frequented by sharks. The beach is nicknamed SharkRestaurant by locals.

‘A Really Large Shark’

The great white or white pointer, demonized in films likeJaws, is the biggest and most ferocious of the sharks, growingto up to 18 feet and found in temperate oceanwaters off southern Australia. It is a protected species inAustralia.

“A really large shark just came in and attacked him,thrashing around in a circular motion around him,” witness JeffHunter told reporters, describing the Sunday attack.