A teenage boy has been killed by a shark at a popular surfing spot on South Australia’s Yorke Peninsula, the latest in a string of shark attacks over the last year.
SA Police confirmed it received a report that someone had been “seriously injured” near Ethel Beach and responded to the incident at around 1:30pm on Thursday, December 28. Ethel Beach is located at Dhilba Guuranda-Innes National Park and the nearest town is Marion Bay.
A police spokesperson later confirmed that the teenager tragically died in the attack.
The 15-year-old has now been identified as Adelaide boy Khai Cowley who was a talented surfer.
Khai Cowley has been remembered as a “talented and dearly loved” surfer. (Credit: Instagram)
Khai’s aunt, Lauryn Barley, has opened a GoFundMe campaign for the family. The post reads that Khai was “suddenly taken … by a white pointer at Ethel Wreck”.
“I’m here to try help raise funds for my sister, Kate, and brother, Tim, to cover the cost of the funeral service. Any donations will be most appreciated,” she said. The page has raised more than $10,000 in 10 hours.
Surfing South Australia said its “utmost sympathies” were with the boy’s family.
“We are devastated to learn that a young, talented and dearly loved member of our surfing community was the surfer involved in the attack at Ethel Beach,” the group wrote in a statement.
“[We] are absolutely shattered to hear the incident was fatal.
“We ask you keep [the boy’s family] in your thoughts and respect their privacy as they navigate such a heartbreaking time.”
“It’s a tragic, tragic incident,” Marion Bay resident and surfer Luke Sykora said, per ABC News.
“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.”
Resident and avid surfer Marty Goody also told the news site that the victim may have been about “30 to 40 metres off the shore”.
“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.”
This is the latest in a string of shark attacks in South Australian waters over the last year.
In May, 46-year-old surfer Simon Baccanello was fatally attacked at Walkers Rock Beach near Elliston on Eyre Peninsula. In November, 55-year-old surfer Tod Gendle was killed near Streaky Bay, which is further up west.
Days later, environmental science honours student Bridgette O’Shannessy was bitten on the head near the jetty at Port Noarlunga.
Then in October, Pam Cook was attacked by a shark while swimming near the jetty at Beachport and suffered leg injuries.
Our thoughts are with the families of the victims.