Surfer’s final moments before fatal shark attack as search for body continues
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The final moments of a surfer believed to have died in a shark attack before vanishing off the coast of South Australia have been revealed. 28-year-old Lance Appleby was out surfing at the popular Granites Beach site, near the coastal town of Streaky Bay on Thursday evening before cops recovered his shredded surfboard. Witnesses also reported seeing a figure in the water approaching Lance shortly after 7pm.
Family friend Jeff Schumucker, who watched the horror unfold, lifted the lid on the young sportsman's final moments before he disappeared. He told 7NEWS: “He caught a wave and flipped off the wave and proceeded to paddle back, and he was attacked.". Another 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. 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. Schumucker, a Streaky Bay local, spotted Lance's destroyed surboard and a ruined set of ropes as it was bought back to shore. He said: “The board had a bite mark in the bottom and the rope was severed in half. It just hits everyone so hard, particularly the locals.”.
