A 60-year-old surfer has died after being attacked by a great white shark off the New South Wales coast on Sunday, according to officials.
The victim, Rob Pedretti, lived in the neighbouring state of Queensland.
According to a surf rescue group, he got a bite wound on his thigh from a more than three-metre-long shark. Other surfers brought him to the shore but Pedretti died of his injuries before paramedics arrived at the scene.
The shark which is believed to be responsible for the attack continued to swim along the coast. Lifesavers tried to scare it away with the help of a helicopter and a jet ski but in vain. Beaches in the area were cleared and closed for a 24-hour period.
This was the third fatal incident involving a shark in Australia this year, following the death of a diver off Western Australia in January and a wildlife worker off the Great Barrier Reef in April.
