Beach set to reopen after shark attack

Police prepare to shoot a shark after the fatal attack on a swimmer at Muriwai Beach. Photo / Tracy Howarth

Swimmers are likely to be allowed back into the water at Muriwai Beach tomorrow, providing nothing "untoward" happens today.

The Muriwai Beach Regional Park was closed after film director Adam Strange was killed in a shark attack on Wednesday.

Muriwai Surf Lifeguards chairman Tim Jago said the regional park would reopen today, but beachgoers would not be allowed to go swimming.

"That will happen tomorrow, unless anything untoward happens today," he said.

Several boats would likely take to the water to look for sharks in the popular swimming area.

"That will just give ourselves complete confidence that there's nothing untoward lurking around there."

No sharks had been spotted since Wednesday's tragedy and Mr Jago said there had been good cooperation from people about staying off the beach.

"Even the locals have been staying away, and that's out of respect as much as anything. [Most] people that we've been talking to have been overseas tourists and they just don't understand what's gone down."

Mr Strange was killed by what is believed to have been a 3-4 metre great white as he trained for an ocean swim.

Mr Jago formally identified Mr Strange, who he said suffered terrible injuries in the prolonged attack.