Update 11.15am: Beaches have been closed at Ballina after a surfer died from his injuries from a shark attack at Shelly Beach this morning.
The young man is believed to have lost both his legs in the attack by a shark up to four metres long around 10am this morning.
He was helped back to the beach by other surfers where he was given first aid, but died shoertly later from the horrific injuries.
The attack follows yesterday morning’s attack on a Byron Bay man who was bitten on the back while surfing on Seven Mile Beach at Lennox Head.
Original story, 10.15am:
A swimmer on Shelly Beach at Ballina who lost both his legs is being treated by ambulance paramedics after a reported shark attack this morning, the second in a day in the waters off the north coast.
NSW Ambulance media says paramedics are on the scene treating a person in a critical condition. Updates to come.
Meanwhile, a surfer is recovering in hospital after a suspected shark attack on Seven Mile Beach near Byron Bay yesterday (Sunday) morning.
The 35-year-old man was sitting on his board about 60 metres off the beach early on Sunday morning when he was struck from behind, suffering a cut to his back and puncture wounds on his buttocks.
He didn’t see what hit him and neither did a friend surfing with him.
He drove himself to Byron Bay Hospital and was taken to Gold Coast Hospital where he is in a stable condition.
Police are yet to speak to the man.
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Seven Mile is closer to Ballina than Byron. According to local fisherman, there has been very little in the way of fish stocks off the north coast over the summer. This could have something to do with all the shark activity.
I saw A shark in Brunswick heads 2 days ago. Around 9 P.M.