Shark kills beachgoer near Sydney

SYDNEY Australia AP A shark fatally mauled a man in his s at a beach near Sydney Australia and area beaches were closed on Saturday as drones searched for the predator functionaries disclosed Crisis crews were dispatched to Long Reef Beach shortly after a m local time Saturday responding to reports that a man had suffered critical injuries The man whose identity has yet to be established was retrieved from the surf and brought to shore but died at the scene Two sections of a surfboard were recovered and taken for examination Police closed the beach and liaised with wildlife experts to determine the species of shark involved Nearby beaches have been closed pending further advice Bystanders say the victim was brought ashore by two fellow surfers and that distraught family members rushed to the scene Local surfer Bill Sakula informed reporters at the beach he heard about the attack while preparing to leave for a morning surf It s going to send shockwaves through the population he noted Everyone is going to be a little bit nervous for a while Surf Life Saving NSW deployed a drone to search for further shark activity Our deepest condolences go to the family of the man involved in this terrible tragedy the group s chief executive Steve Pearce disclosed in a announcement He urged people to stay out of the water at the beaches in the vicinity The attack is thought to be the first in the state of New South Wales this year The last time a person was killed by a shark in Sydney was in February That was the city s first fatal shark attack since Shark nets were installed at beaches between Newcastle and Wollongong on Monday as part of a seasonal venture