Sydney shark sighting horror as tourist trap beach evacuated and swimmers flee water
Sydney shark sighting horror as tourist trap beach evacuated and swimmers flee water
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Tourists enjoying a dip in the sea in Sydney were sent scurrying after reports a shark had been spotted in the waters, amid a local heatwave. Swimmers were ordered out of the water at around 2.30pm local time in Maroubra Beach in Australia. Pictures from the scene showed several people standing at the water's edge, in case a shark was stalking the coastline popular with tourists.
The beach had been packed as people attempted to cool down amid a local heatwave and 31C temperatures. Those in the sea at the time quickly got out as the shark alarm sounded, 7NEWS reported. Earlier this year a surfer who disappeared off the coast of South Australia was believed to have died in a shark attack, according to authorities. Lance Appleby was in the water catching the surf at the popular Granites Beach site, near the coastal town of Streaky Bay.
As the 28-year-old was enjoying the waves, horror struck as witnesses reported 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 the next day. Moving tributes were 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. I grew up next to his mum and my youngest daughter went to school with Lance in the same class all throughout their childhood in Streaky Bay.
