The crew of a rescue helicopter in Australia spotted what they believed was a great white shark, following a fatal attack in Byron Bay.
The attack occurred Tuesday at the popular tourist destination on Australia's east coast. The victim, 50-year-old Paul Wilcox, suffered severe wounds to his right leg. According to ABC News, Mark Hickey, another beachgoer, brought the injured man back to shore, 50-65 feet from the site of the attack. Prior to entering the water, he observed a six to seven foot long shark, though he could not identify the species.
Surprisingly, though shark attacks are usually limited to a single strike, after which the predator loses interest, Hickey told The Daily Telegraph that the Byron Bay great white struck a second time.
"The shark came back to him and had another go. I didn't know it was a person — but when I realised I ran out and waded to the bank and grabbed him and did CPR but it was too late. I brought him back in and worked on him on the beach."
Ex-lifeguard tried to rescue Byron Bay shark victim, and police say wife was on beach: http://t.co/LPh74KKwzZ. #9News pic.twitter.com/FQ6SsgAkGc
— Nine News Brisbane (@9NewsBrisbane) September 9, 2014
— Nine News Brisbane (@9NewsBrisbane) September 9, 2014
"It's not confirmed at this stage but it looks like it's a great white," Cullen said. "I'm pretty sure he (the victim) was out swimming on his own. His wife was on the beach at the time."
Shark near Byron Bay. Pic via Westpac chopper northern region pic.twitter.com/3f0MoRlj4u
— Hayden Nelson (@haydennelson) September 9, 2014
— Hayden Nelson (@haydennelson) September 9, 2014
"It was a fatal bite with major blood loss. He probably died in the water because there was no blood loss on the beach."
Midland businessman killed in horror shark attack http://t.co/y8NCp9yaP2 pic.twitter.com/M4zzBmtn64
— Birmingham Mail (@birminghammail) September 9, 2014
— Birmingham Mail (@birminghammail) September 9, 2014
"They shouldn't go and hunt the shark down, it's not the shark's fault - it's the shark's backyard," said 70-year-old Richard Buxton, a local and frequent Byron swimmer.
Though authorities have not ruled out the possibility of a cull, the great white shark is a protected species.
[Image via Mashable]
