The search continues for a surfer believed to have died as a result of a shark attack off the coast of Australia

Wellington, New Zealand — A missing Australian surfer is presumed dead on an island shark attackauthorities said Friday as they searched the waters where the man disappeared. The 28-year-old was in the sea at a popular surfing beach in South Australia in 2023 when another man was killed by a great white shark.

A witness saw the shark attack at Granites Beach, near the coastal town of Streaky Bay, on Thursday evening, went into the sea on a jet ski and grabbed the man’s surfboard, Senior Constable Rebecca Stokes told the Australian Broadcasting Corporation.

“But there was no sign of this young man, just no sign of him,” Stokes told the ABC. “Based on witness accounts, we’re pretty sure he was killed by this shark.”

Stokes said the beach was known to be frequented by sharks. He did not specify which type of shark it was related to.

Emergency responders and volunteers searched the sea for the local man on Friday and the beach was closed to the public. The information says that the police is preparing the opinion of the expert.

Shark attacks are rare in Australia, with 255 fatal bites recorded since 1791 in the country of 27 million people, according to the Australian Shark Incident Database.

But the state of South Australia has recorded more episodes than ever in the past two years. There have been five shark attacks off the state’s coast in 2023, three of them fatal and one on the same beach as Thursday’s incident.

Scientists said at the time that they did not know the reason for the majority. In 2024, a non-fatal shark bite occurred off the coast of South Australia.

Another Australian surfer made a remarkable return to the waves late last year after a serious summer shark attack off the coast of neighboring New South Wales. Kai McKenzie lost his right leg A 15-foot great white shark on July 23, however, vowed not only to surf again, but to return to the spot where he was attacked.

In mid-October, less than three months after losing his leg, he fulfilled his promise, as in his document. Instagram feed.

Researchers published a study in November bright lights on surfboards may actually help prevent shark attacks, presumably by making the boards and their riders look less like seals to predators.