Teenage Surfer Killed In Shark Attack At Yorke Peninsula
Note: this article was last updated at 6:30pm with confirmation that the attack was fatal
A teenage boy has been killed in a shark attack at a popular tourism and surfing spot on South Australia's Yorke Peninsula.
SA Police said they received a report a person had been "seriously injured" near Ethel Beach and responded to the incident, on the south-western tip of the peninsula, at 1:30pm.
Police have since confirmed the teenage victim died in the attack.
"Sadly, the body of a teenage boy was recovered from the water," police said.
Ethel Beach is located at Dhilba Guuranda-Innes National Park and the nearest town is Marion Bay.
"It's a tragic, tragic incident," said Luke Sykora, a Marion Bay resident and surfer.
"I have a seen a fair few sharks here over 22 years but that is the first fatal attack that we've had down here.
"I wouldn't wish it upon anyone … to even be at the same beach at the same time.
"I think the town would be mourning — I think it's very sad and very tragic, and a bit of an eye-opener."
The park, which is at the entrance to Spencer Gulf, is very popular with tourists, fishers and surfers, and is known for its sometimes strong currents and big swells.
Stansbury resident Marty Goody, who has been surfing in the area for decades, estimated that the attack victim may have been about "30 to 40 metres off the shore", given the conditions.
"It was a beautiful day, there were a lot of people swimming and that down there and the surf was very small so they wouldn't have been very far off the shore," he said.
"It's the most open part to the open ocean, because when you come up the gulf you've got Kangaroo Island that stops all the swell from coming in, so that's the main area that gets the swell."
Mr Goody said he was concerned by an apparent increase in shark numbers.
"I've been surfing down here for 40 years and there's always been sharks and you've always known there's sharks there but there does seem to be a lot more of them now," he said.
Reef Encounters Fishing Charters co-owner Nadine Valente said she saw road blocks out to Ethel Beach this afternoon.
"I saw an ambulance, police car and rangers heading out there," she said.
The Marion Bay business owner said it was a shock to hear a shark attack had happened on the Yorke Peninsula.
"It really hits close to home when it happens in your backyard," she said.
The shark attack is the latest of several in South Australian waters in recent months.
This story will be updated as more news becomes available.
© Australian Broadcasting Corporation. All rights reserved.
Comments
Doesn't sound good at all :(
Local rag reporting as killed….
A gnarly coast but can’t recall a death at Yorkes surf zone in my 50 years of visiting there …??
Oh man, that's not good. Surfed a beachie there about ten years ago by myself. Scary fricken place, maybe it's all the stories but shit it felt spooky. Hope he pulls through
How many more deaths will it take before the premier at least pretends he will try to implement some sort of measures to prevent these attacks...
SA Police have said a teenage boy has died from the attack.
Very sad stuff.
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-12-28/police-report-shark-attack-innes-...
Ah no. So sad for the grom and his family
So very tragic. RIP mate.
Yeah Rest In Peace grommy. So sad.
Terrible :(
Read a headline from the advertiser saying it was a death? Been 2 deaths in sa this year already! . there are around 10 a year world wide or something to put that into perspective. Imagine if our coastline had the same number of beach users as the east coast! Happens in our backwater state and you hear zero about it but when it's anywhere else its blown up. Anyone seen any research papers on why they think this is happening because this is mental! Really hoping the kid is alright? Never thought about sharks much but this year has been something else
"Anyone seen any research papers on why they think this is happening because this is mental".
Protection, plain and simple. Great whites were once actively hunted - when I was a kid in Port Lincoln there was a tower at the end of the town jetty for hanging the carcasses of dead sharks. A lot of baby whites were also taken in gill nets, and that's also been largely eliminated.
I'm not saying this to make any sort of political point on culling or netting etc, just to point out that the aim of protecting a species is to increase its numbers. Extremely sad for the boy, his family and friends.
Yeah I don't want any culling or anything like that, I bring it up out of interest because it's been a crazy year. It's a real shame it happened and to a kid that young it seems a little unfair . Rip
Can someone investigate the research testing neoprene effectiveness at the Neptunes? (Mentioned in the GWS symposium) Surely that couldn't have had a conditioning effect?
RIP
Poor kid had his whole life in front of him.
RIP young fella. Thoughts with family and friends. Have surfed that particular stretch many times with some great memories and some spooky moments too.
I would like to respectfully comment that Ethels, and Yorkes in general, is not far from the shark cage diving tourism circus at the Neptunes as the crow flys so to speak. Be interesting to hear what the minister has to say this time.
Yeh that was my exact thought. Cage diving is fkn dumb. Associating people and boats with food for white sharks isn't smart
News said he was a 14 year old surfing with his father.
So cruel for the little fella and his family.
ach, right at the age where good parents let their kids take calculated risks. yuk.
RIP
Terrible. Poor people.
sad news, best of wishes to family and friends at this difficult time
yep, yorkes is close to a lot of things sharky, and gleefully, seemed somewhat off the radar to the dangers nearby... sadly those days are over...
I see the greens answer is govt. subsidised shark shields... always comforting to see our gaurdians of all things earthy are so in touch with nature, community, and reality...
RIP mate, thoughts with the family. Heavy.
A mate and his friends were surfing there a few days ago on a trip I usually do pre-Christmas.
One of those guys was on the scene at the Streaky fatality recently.
RIP grom.
RIP, loosing a child is the most brutal thing.
I'm broken for this family. RIP young fella
RIP. Sad to hear a father lose his son this way. Condolences to family and friends.
RIP youngster and condolences to all involved but especially to his Dad. Geez. Just hard to fathom or know what to possibly say. I grew up chasing surf at most of SA’s well known ledgey lefts. Saw a few big sharks , definitely one giant great white , but never been in proximity of an attack. Only one on the list in my top 4 waves where there hasn’t been a fatality from a White. Was hoping to surf atleast one spot on this Christmas trip but to hectic with family catch ups and work … and hungry sharks it would seem too.
So tragic especially with his dad so close. I've surfed Ethles a hundred times back in the day and know it gets super deep real quick from the beach. When its big its just a massive close out. Probably a shark just cruising along the coast and sensed movement. Terrible news for the friends and family and for all that surf at Yorkes.
Terrible tragedy for the family, especially the Dad. RIP young man.
RIP and condolences to all the family .We surfed there and all over yorks as teenagers and always saw shadows under us at Chinamans. I do think that the shark cage circus teaches them to look for us to be fed.
Well it’s banned in WA for that very reason. Duty of Care.
I feel for the dad. I have a young un but if he gets into surfing, that's my biggest fear.
It's strange that shark attacks are so often clustered in a region in a certain timeframe, like northern NSW a few years back. Be careful my South Australian friends.
Sorry woke up and must of sent the post again. Hope this cluster is done.
Rip, horrible situation for the family. Imagine if the same shark is responsible for the 3 fatalities this year and we could have prevented this by killing it after granites attack. Know 1 will ever know! So bloody sad.
You'd think they could even tag it. Then we could track its movements. Not sure I'm pro culling but if its a problem shark then perhaps it would be justified. Terrible tragedy, thoughts are with the family and local community
Yeah good idea Rewy, then the authorities would know if it was in the same area if/ when there is another attack. If they did this the authorities wouldn't let us see the data and we would still never know.
I wouldn't call killing a single shark straight after a attack a cull though!
‘Tagging’ is animal cruelty it destroys their dorsal fin.
My dog has a microchip and she hasn't even got a dorsal fin, we test vaccines on monkeys so we dont accidentally kill our kiddies but a wee Nick on a gws fin to insure it's not a serial killer is bad form. Anyone who's been buzzed by a white would understand the insignificant dorsal scratch compared to a 14 year young life.
https://hakaimagazine.com/news/nine-out-ten-shark-scientists-agree-susta...
Here's a link to a Gofundme setup by his aunty: https://www.gofundme.com/f/khai-a-most-beautiful-soul-taken-from-us-2-soon
That is just so sad. Poor kid with a life in front of him and the horror will go on for the father. Life is just so precious.
Brutal, so sad for the family
That is so tragic and sad. Condolences to all his friends and family.
Heartbreaking.
RIP.
Dear Aussies,
if Crocs were doing this around Oz, they would be culled.
But Aussies relate White Pointer sharks to cute puppy dogs that need saving.
There are clearly an exploiosn of white pointer numbers near the coast and need culling.
Global OVer Population (not CO2 climate change hoax) has giant trawlers fishing out the oceans
and these sharks are now coming in close for food.
How to sound like a clown in 3, 2, 1...
"CO2 climate change hoax"
Very sad news. Poor young fella.
More info on ABC news now.
Family has asked for respectful privacy at a devastating time.
Brutal. RIP
Very sad to read.
Feel for the family and all who knew him.
RIP young Khai.
rip young fella, condolences to the family.
Very sad to hear a young fella to go like this, condolences to his family and friends.
Too young, the living nightmare. RIP.
Pro cull.
So fucken sad. RIP young fella
Shattering news condolences to the family and friends..horrible loss
Nothing more precious than our kids, heart breaks for the family RIP young man.
I focus is true. Gnarly for the family, healing-at least day to day-takes a long time.
Current government position on protection vs culling will change when this happens to a politician’s kid.
RIP to this grom.
As a father of 7 and 10 year old boys this has devastated me to core. We r very close by at dingy . So much love to everyone involved, devastating
Condolences to the boys family and friends. I especially feel for the boys father as he, like every other parent, wants to protect their child and he may see himself as failing in that. Also for many of the boys friends it may be their first experience of a bereavement. I hope they all receive the necessary support. And spare a thought for emergency services personnel and others who witnessed the attack, they will all need some help.
Our grip on life can be tenuous. In another incident a six year old boy was killed when struck by a falling branch. Another tragedy which will affect his family and friends for many years to come.
RIP young man , condolences to all family and friends
Time for a cull.
very sad for all involved, condolences to families and friends.
And now another attack at Elliston. How about allowing GW fishing/culling anywhere under a certain prescribed distance from shore. Or do they all hang out close to shore so as culling/fishing would wipe them out. I'm sure there are still plenty further out.
RIP Khai and heart felt condolences to the family
Sad news. RIP and sincere condolences to family and friends.