Posted by Mike on December 16, 2004 at 13:02:57:
Australian Teen Surfer Killed by Two Sharks
Thursday, December 16, 2004
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ADELAIDE, Australia — Two great white sharks attacked and killed a surfer while his friends watched in horror Thursday off a popular beach in the southern Australian city of Adelaide (search), authorities said.
The 18-year-old man had fallen from a surfboard being towed by a powerboat when the sharks attacked off West Beach mid-afternoon, South Australia state Sea Rescue Squadron (search ) spokesman Fraser Bell said.
One shark tore the victim in half and the second shark took the remains, witnesses said.
Two of the three 16-year-old boys who were in the towboat witnessed the attack and received medical treatment for shock.
Police and state emergency services said there had been no sign of the victim or the sharks since the mid afternoon attack despite extensive searches of the coast.
Bell said the sharks, also known as white pointers, were between 15 and 17 feet long. They attacked about 250 yards from a crowded beach.
"He fell off the surfboard and the shark appeared and took him," Bell told reporters.
"It tore him apart ... apparently it tore him in half and the other shark came in and took the rest."