Boy, 15, killed in shark attack while surfing off coast of Australia

South Australian police say the shark attack happened in the middle of the day off a popular beach

Ethel Beach is a popular Australian surfing spot in the south (Alamy Stock Photo)

A teenage boy has been mauled to death by a shark at a holiday and surfing spot on Australia’s south coast.

The boy’s body was pulled from the water after the attack near Ethel Beach in the Innes National Park on the Yorke Peninsula, police in South Australia said.

The incident is one of several recent attacks that have happened off the South Australian coast.

The teenager, believed to be 15 years old, had been out surfing when he was attacked by the shark.

Local resident Marty Goody, who has been surfing in the area for decades, told ABC News that he estimated the victim to have been about 30 to 40 metres off the shore, in the most open part of the ocean, when the attack happened.

South Australian Police said its officers were first alerted about the attack at 1.30pm local time on Thursday (2.30am GMT).

“Sadly the body of a teenage boy was recovered from the water,” police said in a statement. They added that they were preparing a report for the coroner.

One local alleged to the Adelaide Advertiser that the shark had bitten off the young surfer’s leg in the attack, adding that a fellow surfer had rushed out to help him.

“The shark took his leg, and so another local guy ran out, jumped on his board and paddled out to help him,” the local said.

“The shark was circling them as the guy pulled the boy out of the water. There was a lot of blood. He brought him to shore but I think it was too late by then.”

Mr Goody said it was not unusual to see sharks in the area but admitted that there seemed to be a lot more of them now.

The attack follows the death in May of a 46-year-old mauled by a shark at Walkers Rocks Beach on Eyre Peninsula.

Ethel Beach is a 400m-long stretch of sandy surf beach, popular with surfers and tourists, with waves averaging 1.5 metres.