Shark Attacks And Kills Teen Body Boarder Off Australian Coast

A teenage body boarder was killed after being attacked by a shark off of Australia’s east coast. This is the second shark attack that has ended in a fatality this month. The Inquisitr reported that a surfer was attacked and killed by a shark off of the west coast of Australia exactly one week ago on November 23, 2013.

During last week’s attack, witnesses who saw the body of the 35-year-old surfer said that the victim lost his left arm and flesh from his right leg as a result of the shark’s bite. According to the San Francisco Chronicle, one witness saw the shark “bounce off the board” of one surfer before attacking the male victim off a beach near Gracetown, Australia.

According to ABC News, the attack took place at Riecks Point, near the northern New South Wales city of Coffs Harbour. The victim, Zach Young, 19, was body boarding with three friends about 330 feet offshore when he was bitten by the shark.

The Houston Chronicle went on to say that Young’s friends where able to get him back to the beach after the attack, and bystanders tried to keep him alive until paramedics arrived. According to a New South Wales ambulance police spokeswoman, Young had suffered from serious injuries to his legs and from cardiac arrest. Paramedics did try to resuscitate Young, but he was soon pronounced dead.

ABC News reported that beaches in the area were closed for 24 hours after the attack. Much like last week’s shark attack, there is no information about what type of shark actually attacked and killed young.

The Inquisitr reports that attacks resulting in deaths are rare, but they have become increasingly more common in the waters surrounding Australia. While there have been multiple shark attacks in the water surrounding Australia, this is only the second shark attack that ended in death recorded this year.

[Image via Shutterstock/Valerie Potapova]