Boy describes terrifying moment shark attacked him on Sydney’s northern beaches

An 11-year-old boy has described the terrifying moment a shark knocked him into the water and bit into his surfboard, with older surfers rushing to his aid as he screamed for help.

The boy was surfing near the southern end of Dee Why Beach just before midday on Monday when he was attacked by what is believed to be a bull shark. The young surfer escaped injury and fled to shore with his father after the shark tore off part of his board.

It marked Sydney’s second shark attack in as many days after a 12-year-old boy was bitten by a large bull shark near a Sydney Harbour beach on Sunday afternoon. He remains in a critical condition in hospital.

In comments to the Manly Observer, the boy who was attacked at Dee Why whose identity has remained private said an older surfer helped him return to shore, adding he felt “very lucky” to escape injury.

“I was on the board when the shark came up and bit it. I got knocked off the board. One of the guys out there went over to me and helped me get back in to shore quickly,” he said.

“I’m physically fine but I’m obviously rattled and the board has a chunk taken out of and a couple of bite marks in it.”

The boy and his father often surf at the break, close to the peninsula that separates Dee Why from Curl Curl.

The beach was closed at the time of the attack due to dangerous water conditions, and is expected to remain closed for up to 48 hours following the attack. Pictures posted by the Observer shows a bite mark on the boy’s board after the incident.

A piece of the boy’s surfboard has been sent to NSW Fisheries to assist with identification of the shark, which witnesses suggested was up to 150 centimetres long.

Steven Pearce, the chief executive of Surf Life Saving NSW, said the attack occurred about midday, when lifeguards took to the water on jet skis to rescue the boy and surrounding swimmers after sounding the shark alarm.

“It certainly is concerning that we’ve had two shark incidents within 24 hours, one being extremely serious with the young boy who was attacked yesterday,” Pearce said.

“I have to say that the young boy [today] is extremely lucky to get away with just a chunk out of the board – certainly a terrifying situation and it’s just very fortuitous that he had his father there with him at the same time.”

Two baristas working at a cafe opposite Dee Why Beach said a lifeguard had described the attack to them.

“A lifeguard came into the shop and said an 11-year-old boy’s board was bitten,” said Luca Cavalieri, a worker at the cafe.

“He said it was a 4-5 foot bull shark. The boy was fine, it was just the board.”

Cavalieri said the attack occurred near the rock pool at Dee Why Point.

“There are surfers there. It’s Dee Why’s main surf break — he was with his dad surfing when about four or five people spotted when it happened,” he said.

Surf lifesavers were deployed on jet skis to inspect the scene, and a drone was spotted surveilling the waters above Dee Why. Pearce expected a second drone to be deployed on Tuesday.

First responders congregated on a grassy reserve near the Dee Why Surf Life Saving Club on Monday afternoon, with one surf lifesaver operating the drone while others monitored the ocean.

A small number of beachgoers swam in the Dee Why rock pool while the foreshore area was empty.

Others followed the search operation from the nearby rocks and headland.

All the northern beaches are closed on Monday amid dangerous conditions.

The 12-year-old attacked by a shark on Sunday was swimming with friends at a popular jump rock west of Shark Beach at Nielsen Park in Vaucluse about 4.20pm when he was bitten.

His legs were mauled, and he was rescued by his friends and a quick-thinking police officer.

The attack on Monday morning occurred four months after Mercury Psillakis was killed by a shark at nearby Long Reef Beach.

Before the fatal attack, the 57-year-old spotted an adolescent white shark while in the water with a group of other surfers, and instructed them to form a huddle to protect themselves as they moved toward shore.

Be the first to know when major news happens. Sign up for breaking news alerts on email or turn on notifications in the app.