A 50-year old man is dead after being attacked byb a presumed Great White Shark while swimming off a beach at Byron Bay in northern New South Wales.  The shark is still in the area, and beaches from Tallows to Belongil will be closed for at least 24 hours.

“We need to locate the shark and see if it is any danger,” NSW Police Inspector Bobbie Cullen told the ABC.

Authorities say the shark severely injured the local man’s right leg while swimming some 15 to 20 meters offshore at Clarkes Beach.  A beachgoer, identified as Mark Hickey, saw the victim floating on the water at about 10:45 AM local time, and pulled him out of the water.  Beachgoers tried to perform CPR but it was too late.

“Unfortunately his wife was on the beach at the time,” Inspector Cullen said.  “Obviously the witnesses are extremely distressed.”

Lifeguards rarely see sharks in those waters, but lifeguard Scott McCartney said they are encouraging “everyone on the coast to stay out of the water in the Byron Shire area until we deem it safe for swimming”.