Shark attack feared as reason for surfer's disappearance after board washes up
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A surfer who disappeared off the coast of South Australia is believed to have died in a shark attack, according to authorities. 28-year-old Lance Appleby was in the water catching the surf at the popular Granites Beach site, near the coastal town of Streaky Bay on Thursday evening. But as he was enjoying the waves, horror struck as witnesses report seeing him being attacked.
One witness rushed into the water on a jet ski to retrieve Lance's surfboard, but there was no sign of the surfer, according to senior constable Rebecca Stokes. Initial reports of the attack came in just after 7pm local time on Thursday evening, with emergency services searching the area before returning on Friday.
After spending most of the day scouring the water, emergency crews suspended their search on Friday night, saying they will renew their efforts on Saturday morning. Police and locals have described the incident as a "tragedy" and expressed their sympathies to Lance's family, friends and colleagues, reports the Australian Broadcasting Network.
Moving tributes have been paid to the surfer and footballer, with friends describing him as a "loved character" and a "bloody champion man". Fellow Streaky Bay resident and commercial fisherman Jeff Schmucker said: "Lance has lots of cousins, I'm personally close to these guys.
