Junior surf champion Sam Morgan is in an induced coma in a Queensland hospital, after being mauled by a shark off Ballina yesterday evening.
The 20-year-old was surfing at Lighthouse Beach around 6.15pm, when it is believed that the attack occurred. He was able to make it back to the beach, where he was assisted by several off-duty lifesavers.
Morgan was taken to Ballina District Hospital, and then airlifted to Gold Coast University Hospital, where he underwent surgery last night.
It is understood that the young surfer sustained serious injuries to his left thigh, and doctors are reportedly keeping him in a coma while attempting to save his leg.
Witnesses from the beach report seeing teeth marks in Morgan’s board, and biologists say that it is likely the attacker was a bull shark, between 2.8 and 3.1 metres in length.
There were three shark sightings in the area on Tuesday, and so far this year, there have been 11 other shark attacks along the same stretch of coast, two of them fatal.
No one braving the water at Ballina’s Lighthouse beach – the scene of yesterday’s shark attack. @TheTodayShow pic.twitter.com/vujFfWFHSN
— Joel Dry (@JoelDry9) November 10, 2015
In response to the attack, Ballina mayor David Wright has offered his condolences, and called for the use of eco nets in the area, saying that an attack such as last night’s may have been preventable with them in place.
The beach has been closed for 24 hours.
Image via Facebook
