Paul Barning loved the sea. At 58, he was a skilled fisherman, a devoted family man, and owner of a construction company in Sydney. Unfortunately, on February 23, during a fishing tournament off Port Stephens, Australia,he had an encounter with a shark and his life took a tragic turn.
He was aboard a boat with three others, Bradley Elphinstone, Bradley’s son Reece, and Ryan Hope. They were competing in the NSWGFA Interclub State Championships. The morning started normally. By 12:40 p.m., Hope hooked a massive Mako shark, weighing over 400 lbs.
As Hope reeled it in, Barning stood to his left. Reece positioned himself slightly behind. Bradley manned the helm. The shark neared the surface. Hope stepped back. Reece moved forward. Barning grabbed the trace line.
He wrapped it around both hands, once, maybe more. Then, he began pulling. “A tug-of-war game,” the coroner later described. But the shark surged into deeper water. The line snapped taut. Barning’s hands were still tangled in it. “Oh no,” he was heard yelling.
The force yanked him toward the boat’s edge. His legs hit the side. He flipped 180 degrees and went overboard into the Pacific. Bradley immediately put the engine in neutral. The crew scrambled. As they started searching, they could not find Barning who was not even wearing a life jacket.
Hope kept reeling. They thought that Barning could have been still attached. However, after ten minutes, even though the shark broke the surface, there was no trace of Barning and thus they cut the line and let the shark go.
Bradley activated the “man overboard” GPS function. A search began involving coast guard, police, rescue teams. After the search went on for two days, it was called off on February 25. Unfortunately, no body was ever found.
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Deputy State Coroner Derek Lee concluded: “Mr Barning died as a result of misadventure when he was suddenly and unexpectedly pulled into the water whilst managing a trace line when taking part in a game fishing competition.”
The cause of death could not be confirmed because of the absence of a body. The coroner detailed the final moments: “As Paul’s hands were entwined in the trace line, he was heard to yell words to the effect of, ‘Oh no’, as he was pulled to the edge of the boat.”
It should be noted here that Barning was a respected figure in the fishing community, who had won trophies before. He was known for his skill, passion, and warmth.
The New South Wales Game Fishing Association confirmed he wasn’t attacked by a shark after falling in. They released a statement on Facebook: “Our thoughts and prayers are with his wife Leonie, his son Sam and daughters Eleanor and Brigette in this trying time.”
He was more than a competitor. “By all accounts, Mr Barning was a beloved husband and father, a genuine and respected friend and a skilled fisherman,” officials said. They further added, “There is no doubt that he is greatly missed, and that the sudden and unexpected circumstances in which he went missing have only added to the grief and trauma that his family, loved ones and friends have experienced.”
