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Drone records surfers' near miss with stalking great white shark

By Ben Hooper
A great white shark swims toward a surfer in a video released by the New South Wales government. Screenshot: DPI Fisheries/YouTube
A great white shark swims toward a surfer in a video released by the New South Wales government. Screenshot: DPI Fisheries/YouTube

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Feb. 24 (UPI) -- An Australian state government released drone video of a great white shark chasing an oblivious surfer who was saved by a well-timed wave.

The New South Wales government's Department of Primary Industry Fisheries posted a video to YouTube showing the footage captured by a shark-spotting drone hovering over Ballina's Lighthouse Beach.

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The video shows the great white shark closing in on a surfer who does not appear to notice the creature. The shark appears to be preparing to attack when the surfer is carried out of harm's way by a well-timed wave.

The shark turns its attention to a second surfer, who is dangling their legs in the water, but ultimately swims away without attacking.

DPI Fisheries said the shark-spotting drones are being trialed at beaches in the northern part of the state, where 11 shark attacks -- one fatal -- have been reported since 2015.

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