Sept. 8 (UPI) -- An Australian man died Tuesday after being attacked by a shark while surfing at a Gold Coast beach.
Nick Slater, 46, was attacked while surfing at Greenmount beach and sustained injuries to his legs before dying at the beach despite efforts to save his life at the scene.
"It was a pretty severe attack and the ambulance and paramedics were here and did what they could, but it was to no avail," chief lifeguard Warren Young said.
All beaches from the area were closed until further notice as helicopters performed sweeps along the beach to search for the shark.
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Gold Coast Mayor Thomas Tate urged residents to stay away from the beach, confirming this was the first fatal shark attack in the area since 1958.
"It doesn't matter how long it has been, still a devastating shock to the community of the Gold Coast," he said.
Fellow surfer Jade Parker described the attack, which he said occurred as bait fish were swimming through the water where Slater was found.
"I saw his board floating in the water and his body next to it, basically lifeless," said Parker. "I originally thought he'd been knocked out by his board, I never thought it was going to be a shark attack, especially here."
Parker added that there was a large bite mark left on Slater's board following the attack.
"It was probably about the same circumference as a basketball ... and there was a tooth still lodged in the fiberglass which I had to remove," he said.
