Surfer 'bitten in half' by great white shark in Australia

PA

A young surfer has been killed in a shark attack off the coast of Western Australia.

Kyle James Burden, 21, was bodyboarding with five friends at Bunker Bay, about three hours' drive south of Perth, when the shark struck.

Reports have suggested the man was bitten in half and killed instantly by a suspected great white.

The tragedy occurred in an area popular with holidaymakers, and the beach was crowded.
One witness told Perth Now: 'They pulled him out of the water and there was a lot of blood on the beach.

'There was just no hope, he was cut in half.'

Kyle's friend Sollee Morris and another surfer have been praised for their bravery in getting him out of the water.

Officer Sergeant Craig Anderson said: 'You've got to take your hat off to the young fellow who was surfing with him and his mate for bringing him ashore.

'The nature of his injuries was significant, it's not something that even volunteer rescuers or emergency services like to see, even my own staff, so it's just something so you have to deal with as a police officer and do the job you have to do.'

It is thought surfers had seen several great whites in the area recently, which might have been attracted by pods of whales passing Cape Naturaliste, as well as a colony of seals living about 800m from the surf spot.