shark Attack Claims Surfer‘s Life Off Sydney Beach
Sydney, Australia – September 6, 2025 – A surfer has died after being mauled by a shark in a rare and fatal attack off Sydney’s Long Reef beach, prompting authorities to close multiple beaches.Police and rescue services responded to the scene on Saturday morning.
The incident marks only the second deadly shark attack in Sydney’s history since a 35-year-old British diving instructor was killed off a beach in february 2022 – the first such death in the city since 1963.
The victim,whose identity has not yet been released,was pulled from the Pacific Ocean onto the shore but succumbed to his injuries at the scene,according to a statement from new South Wales police.
The Sydney Morning Herald reported the man was in his 50s and an experienced surfer.He was surfing with friends approximately 100 metres (330ft) from the shore when the attack occurred. The report detailed that the man lost both legs and his surfboard was cut in half. The species of shark responsible for the attack remains unknown.
Images from local media show a meaningful police presence on the beach, along with ambulances and drones scanning the water for shark activity, as reported by Australian public broadcaster ABC.Surf Life Saving NSW stated the victim was bitten while surfing away from a patrolled area of the beach. As a precaution, beaches between Manly and Narrabeen have been closed for at least 24 hours. Nearby surf life-saving clubs have cancelled all water activities and training for the weekend.
An unnamed surfer told sydney’s Daily Telegraph that the victim had been surfing near Long Reef and Dee Why beaches. “Four or five surfers pulled him out of the water and it looked like a significant part of his lower half had been attacked,” the surfer said.
This incident is the fourth fatal shark attack in Australia in 2025. In march, a surfer was killed by a shark in shallow water off a remote beach in Western Australia. February saw a 17-year-old girl killed by a shark while swimming off an eastern Australian island, and a 28-year-old surfer fatally bitten in South Australia in January. A 40-year-old man was also fatally bitten in the neck by a shark while spearfishing off Queensland on December 28.
According to a database of shark encounters, there have been at least 1,280 shark incidents around Australia as 1791, with over 250 resulting in fatalities.
