BEACHES in northern NSW remain closed as a search continues for what is believed to be a great white shark that killed a surfer.
FORTY-ONE-YEAR-OLD Tadashi Nakahara was paddling out from Shelly Beach, near Ballina, on Monday morning when he was bitten by a large shark.
A group of surfers dragged Mr Nakahara, a Japanese national, from the water and performed CPR but he died on the beach. Beaches between South Ballina and Lennox Head are closed and lifeguards are patrolling to ensure swimmers stay out of the water. Ballina Mayor David Wright said the community is in shock after the death of Mr Nakahara. “He was very well known to locals as he worked at a surf shop and at a hotel in the township.” Mr Wright said the search will resume on Tuesday morning. “It appears it’s a very large shark and most people are saying it’s a great white.” A shark expert from the Department of Primary Industries is heading to Ballina to investigate, he said. The surfers who were with Mr Nakahara described the shark as being 3-4 metres long, Mr Wright told ABC Radio. “It came up behind and took his board and his legs and that’s a horrible thing to happen.” Mr Wright said the water is warm and a lot of fish are feeding close to the surface which can attract sharks. “The fish are travelling through and the predators … come in and try and get it – there were lots of dolphins there yesterday going through, seven or eight, attacking the fish too.” Mr Wright believes the chances of finding the shark are quite remote. The beaches may reopen later on Tuesday, he said. Monday’s attack was the sixth shark fatality in Australian waters in 12 months, and it came a day after another surfer was bitten by a shark at Seven Mile Beach, 25km north of Ballina.
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source:sbs.com.au
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