SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA – A man has been killed in a rare shark attack at Long Reef Beach, Sydney, on Saturday morning. Witnesses described hearing the man’s screams of “don’t bite me” moments before the fatal encounter.
The victim, identified by Australian media as 57-year-old Mercury Psillakis, was an experienced surfer who was with a group of friends when the attack occurred. Emergency services were called to the scene shortly after 10 a.m. local time, but Mr. Psillakis, who had suffered catastrophic injuries, died at the scene.
According to New South Wales Police Superintendent John Duncan, the man had lost a number of limbs. His friends managed to make it back to shore safely, and others later recovered his body from the water. The incident took place a day before Father’s Day in Australia, and police noted that Mr. Psillakis leaves behind a wife and a young daughter, calling it a “terrible tragedy.”
Two sections of the victim’s surfboard have been recovered for examination to help determine the species of shark involved. As a precaution, nearby beaches have been closed, and drones have been deployed to search for the animal.
The attack has sent shockwaves through the local community, with one witness, Bill Sakula, a local surfer, saying, “Everyone is going to be a little bit nervous for a while.” This is the first fatal shark attack in Sydney since February 2022 and the first in New South Wales this year.
