In front of his girlfriend

Surfer mauled by shark in southern Australia

The beautiful Wharton Beach became the scene of a tragedy

(Bild: Sanych - stock.adobe.com)

A 37-year-old surfer was killed off the south coast of Australia on Monday in front of his girlfriend - presumably by a shark attack. Steven Payne's body could not be found after the incident, but his surfboard was discovered with bite marks. 

The sportsman was on vacation with his girlfriend and was surfing at Wharton Beach near Esperance when he went into distress in chest-deep water about 50 meters from the shore. Police and sea rescuers rushed to the Australian's aid, but were unable to find Payne. Only his surfboard resurfaced damaged. The bite marks on it are now to be examined to determine what species of shark it was.

Police officer: "There was a lot of blood"
"His partner witnessed what happened, which is tragic," police officer Christopher Taylor told local media. The officer said there was footage of the water immediately after the incident, which made it clear what had happened. "There was a lot of blood, the shark and some other things that I don't think anyone else should see," Taylor said. Drone footage is also said to indicate that there was a shark attack. 

Here, police officer Christopher Taylor describes the drama:

As reported by the 7News channel, two other surfers were said to have been in the water when the attack took place. However, they "could have done absolutely nothing, nothing", explained Taylor.

Shortly before the accident, a shark was spotted in the water. The beach was closed after the tragedy, but should be accessible again on Wednesday as there were no further signs of sharks. 

Friends about victim: "Incredible person"
Payne had taken a six-month break with his girlfriend and dog. The three were just in the fifth week of the extended vacation. His friends are mourning the loss of the "talented athlete": "He was an incredible person who was always there for his friends," explained one of them.