Surfer Killed in Shark Attack off Sydney Beach

A man died after being bitten by a large shark while surfing with friends off Long Reef Beach in northern Sydney, marking the city’s first fatal shark incident in over three years. The attack occurred approximately 100 meters from the beach just after 10 a.m. on Saturday morning, according to local police.

What we do know, according to emergency responders, the surfer was pulled to shore by surfers very quickly, however, he had already lost so much blood that he could not be revived. He was declared dead at the scene.

Lifeguards Close Beaches as Investigation Begins

Around that time the Northern Beaches Council sent jetski patrols in the area, with several beaches temporarily closed for precautionary reasons. The council confirmed that two broken parts of the victim’s surfboard were recovered and taken for analysis, but it remains unknown as to the species of the shark. Lifeguards and authorities have been looking out for any signs of the animal involved, as reported by The Guardian.

Superintendent John Duncan said to reporters that the victim was an experienced surfer and leaves a wife and young daughter. The community might have been in shock with many surfers returning to shore and others have simply expressed that what seems like a rare, but obviously deadly incident, is traumatic.

Fatal Shark Attacks Remain Rare but Deadly

“In Australia, we haven’t seen a fatal shark attack since February 2022, when a swimmer was killed at Little Bay – a tragic incident that ended a nearly 60-year streak in Sydney without a fatal shark incident according to ABC News Australia.” Nationally, however, three other deadly shark interactions has already taken place in 2025, including March’s surfer bitten while surfing in a shallow sea on the remote coast of Western Australia according to Taronga Zoo’s shark incident database.

Australia has yet to be matched globally in relation to shark monitoring, including the use of drone surveillance, tagging programs, and public alerts to manage marine life with human activity. However, as Surf Life Saving Australia regularly advise, ocean risks can never be 100% removed.

In the coming days we will hear more about the attack, including information about the long-term safety of the beaches.