NSW beaches closed after shark attack

Craig Ison, 52, was attacked during his regular morning surf at Evans Head, on the northern New South Wales coast, about 420 miles north of Sydney.

Ison was admitted to the Lismore Base Hospital and overcame the complications once again after his operation.

Emergency services were called and started working on the man while a police officer drove their ambulance to a nearby hospital, where the surfer, named by local media as Craig Ison, was in a serious but stable condition.

The beach was reopened on Sunday morning after it was deemed safe, according to a NSW Surf Life Saving spokeswoman.

Beaches around Evans Heads were closed for 24 hours following the attack. This will be reviewed on Sunday.

There have been several sightings of sharks up to five metres long in the beaches around Evans Head and Ballina in recent days. His friend Hill also said to the Associated Press that before he could help him escape, he saw him paddling towards the shore.

Then he said, ‘go in, there’s a shark.’ But it grabbed him as he turned around… he managed to get himself on his board.

Bennett stated mayors within the area have been assembly in Ballina on Friday to debate methods to deal with a rising shark menace.

“There’s too much danger out there”, Mr Bennett said.

He said the council was taking precautions by putting signs up on all the beaches to make sure people were aware of what was out there. He stated he in all probability wouldn’t surf Saturday, however would return to the waves “as soon as I am over the shock of immediately”. “They know the risk and I guess it’s their choice”, he said.

“There he is”, says Fanning pointing to the ocean and telling a reporter he has seen a shark.

The string of shark attacks along the far north NSW coast has prompted claims the State Government failed to protect beachgoers. Ballina was the scene of two current shark assaults through which 32-year-old surfer Matt Lee was critically injured on July 2 and Japanese vacationer Tadashi Nakahara, 41, was mauled to demise whereas browsing in February.

Fanning, an Australian three-time world champion surfer, made global headlines this month after dramatically fighting off a shark during a televised competition in South Africa.

Ballina and Richmond Valley councils are in talks with local MPs about the funding of aerial surveillance of beaches in the region, Mr Bennett said.