A 55-year-old surfer has disappeared and is assumed dead.
Witnesses saw him attacked by a massive Great White shark near Granite Rock, south of Streaky Bay, South Australia around 10:20 a.m. on Tuesday, October 31, 2023.
Onlookers at the popular surfing location watched in disbelief as a shark, estimated to be over 13.75 feet long, struck the surfer with such ferocity that he was dragged underwater on two occasions before disappearing altogether.
In the aftermath of the attack, one individual, Jeff Schmucker, showcased extraordinary bravery. Schmucker took to the sea on a jet ski, endeavoring to locate the missing surfer. During his search, he encountered what is believed to be the same shark, circling ominously. The only trace found of the attacked surfer was his board, marred by a distinctive bite mark—a grim testament to the encounter.
Emergency service teams were deployed immediately after the attack, commencing a large-scale search that, to date, has been fruitless. The authorities painstakingly searched the surrounding maritime region and adjacent land areas, hoping to find the surfer.
In the context of shark-related incidents, South Australia’s statistics are sobering. With 22 deaths from shark attacks and over 50 incidents on record, the peril of these waters is documented in the Australian shark incident database.
This incident has once again cast a shadow over the community of Streaky Bay, still recovering from the loss of a school teacher to a shark attack just six months earlier. Granite Rock, despite its picturesque qualities, is increasingly becoming synonymous with shark-related fatalities.
