Dec. 28 (UPI) -- Authorities in southern Australia said a shark killed a 14-year-old boy surfing near the tip of the Yorke Peninsula on Thursday.
The attack happened during the early afternoon hours off Ethel Beach, about 100 miles west of Adelaide.
"Sadly the body of a teenage boy was recovered from the water," a police spokesperson said.
Police said detectives and crime scene investigators were dispatched to the scene and were preparing a report for the coroner.
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The boy was believed to have been visiting the area from Adelaide to surf at the beach.
December is the summer season in Australia, where many locals and tourists flock to the beaches.
Authorities had not released the boy's name or additional details about the attack as of Thursday.
The incident marked the fifth shark attack in South Australian waters in 2023. Of those, three were fatal.
"I have seen a fair few sharks here over 22 years but that is the first fatal attack that we've had down here," local surfer Luke Sykora said. "I wouldn't wish it upon anyone ... to even be at the same beach at the same time. I think the town would be mourning. I think it's very sad and very tragic and a bit of an eye-opener."
A snap ban on school trips to local beaches was called in southern Australia after a 32-year-old woman was bitten by a shark at PortNoarlungs Beach, about 20 miles from Adelaide. The woman, though, survived her injuries.
