Australian tourist killed by shark off crowded beach in Noumea
WARNING—GRAPHIC CONTENT: The moment an Australian tourist was attacked and killed by a shark while swimming at a crowded beach in New Caledonia has been caught on camera.
The 59-year-old man was 150 metres from the shore in the capital of Noumea when he was struck on Sunday afternoon near a pontoon, AFP news agency reported. It's believed the shark bit him several times on one leg and both arms.
Two people on a jetski nearby quickly rushed him back to the beach where emergency services tried to save him but tragically he died at the scene.
New footage reveals moment of attack
In the 15 second clip, splashing in the water can be seen near the pontoon with dozens of swimmers nearby in the sea. Suddenly a jetski is filmed racing out to the commotion before returning to the beach.
According to one witness, the jetski rider flew into action after hearing the shark alarm go off, the Daily Mail reported. They then returned to the beach to collect another beach patrol crew member before the pair came back with the man's body.
Once on the shore the patrol team performed CPR until paramedics arrived.
Another witness reported that it happened "so close to shore" and that "there was blood everywhere".
Beach evacuated
With plenty of swimmers in the water, there was a panicked rush back to the sand as police evacuated the area.
All beaches in Noumea have since been closed while a new shark culling campaign has been scheduled, as reported by The Pacific Journal. As part of the operation, drones have been deployed to locate sharks in the area.
The local mayor, Sonia Lagarde, has ordered the capture of any tiger and bull sharks in nearby waters.
Woman seriously injured in shark attack three weeks earlier
The fatal attack comes just weeks after a 49-year-old local woman was bitten by a shark on the same Chateau Royal beach. Suffering serious injuries, she was taken to an Australian hospital for treatment. It's since been reported by the Daily Mail that she lost her leg in the incident.
While on February 5, a windsurfer was attacked by a shark at another Noumea beach. Fortunately he was not injured.
The publication also reported that the beach only reopened on Thursday, a fact many locals were unhappy about.
Yahoo News Australia has contacted the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade for a statement.
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New Caledonia, which lies south of Vanuatu and 1,200 kilometres east of Australia, ranks 13th in the world for the number of shark attacks according to the Florida Museum of Natural History.
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