A 15-year-old boy was mauled to death by a shark in front of his terrified father as the pair surfed in Australia on Thursday.
Khai Cowley, who has since been described by loved ones as a “talented” surfer, was pulled from the water near Ethel Beach in Innes National Park after his leg was bitten off by what is believed to be a great white shark.
“I started moving down towards the beach and I could see the dad on the rock screaming and his son swimming towards him,” local surfer Tim Philip told 7News.
Philip estimated the shark to be about 13 feet long.
“Then it started going back to the sea. I was in waist deep water and just decided to run back … chest deep at this point, grabbed him and managed to drag him back to shore, back to the crowd on the beach.
“It’s just a problem … I don’t want to see his body go out to sea, so do what I can.”
Paramedics rushed to treat Cowley’s injuries, but were ultimately unable to save him.
Ethel Beach, a popular yet secluded tourist spot, is located off the Yorke Peninsula in southern Australia.
Khai Cowley, 15, was mauled to death by a shark in front of his terrified father in Australia on Thursday. Surf South Australia / Instagram
The boy had been on holiday with his family before he was attacked by the sea predator, according to 7News.
Loved ones have flooded social media with tributes to the teenager following his death.
“A boy with great potential. He will hold a place in everyone’s hearts,” a family friend wrote on social media, according to Sky News Australia.
Ethel Beach, a popular yet secluded tourist spot, is located off the Yorke Peninsula in southern Australia.
Since then, locals have spoken out about the dangers of wildlife in the area, with one local fisherman saying that sharks are a common sight along Marion Bay.
“We’ve seen some pretty big bronzes in the area, but that’s normal here,” he told a local publication. “I went to take the boat out and the road to Ethel was blocked by rangers.”
“There was no cell reception in the park so we didn’t know what was going on until we got back to Marion Bay,” he added.
The teenager’s leg was bitten by a suspected great white shark. william – stock.adobe.com
Just two weeks before his tragic death, Cowley – who was ranked 146th under-18 surfer in the country – was named “most outstanding performer” by his local Seaview Road Board Riders surf club.
“Grom” or “grommet” is the term for young surfers under the age of 18.
Surfing South Australia paid tribute to the boy on Thursday in an Instagram post.
Cowley was pulled from the water near Ethel Beach in Innes National Park. 9News
“We are deeply saddened to learn that a young, talented and much-loved member of our surfing community was the surfer involved in the attack at Ethel Beach, and are devastated to hear of the fatality.”
“We deeply sympathize with his family,” continued the statement. “We ask that you keep them in your thoughts and respect their privacy as they go through this heartbreaking time.”
The attack follows a string of similar incidents in Australian waters in recent months.
Paramedics battled to treat Cowley’s injuries but were ultimately unable to save him. 9News
In November, surfer Tod Gendle was killed by a shark near Streaky Bay, just north of Marion Bay.
The 55-year-old was paddling in the water with a group of surfers when he was knocked off his surfboard by a shark, which then “smashed him and took him down.”
And in October, Pam Cook suffered a leg injury when she was attacked by a shark while swimming near the pier in Beachport.
Australia has more shark attacks than any other country — except the US, according to the International Shark Attack File.
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Source: thtrangdai.edu.vn/en/
