Surfer dies after arm bitten off in Australia shark attack

A father-of-two has been killed in a shark attack in Western Australia. SCROLL DOWN FOR VIDEO

Chris Boyd, 35, originally from Queensland, was killed instantly when he was attacked by a great white shark while surfing at popular break spot "Umbies", off Gracetown, 270km (167 miles) south of Perth, at about 9am local time on Saturday morning.

Onlookers reported seeing a fellow surfer drag Mr Boyd onto his board, saying the victim was missing his left arm and part of his right leg.

The shark attempted an attack on another surfer's board before mauling Mr Boyd. According to the Daily Telegraph, Acting Sergeant Norm Giocas of Margaret River police said: "From what we understand, the shark bounced off the surfboard of one surfer before attacking the other."

According to the Australian, beaches in the area remain closed as a catch and kill order is carried out on the shark.

The paper reports that on Sunday morning two fisheries boats, surf life saving helicopters, officers from the Department of Parks and Wildlife, and police resumed the hunt for the shark.

Beaches along an eight kilometre stretch from Umbies to South Point remain closed while the search continues.

The attack occurred just as some of the world's best chefs gathered in WA for a tourism event. In fact, Heston Blumenthal was surfing in waters near the shark attack site on Friday.

Marine scientists have described Australia's west coast as the deadliest shark attack zone in the world.

Gracetown, Western Australia's top surfing and wine-making spot, alone has seen three fatal attacks in the last decade, reports the Daily Mail.

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