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SYDNEY - Sydney's iconic Bondi beach has reopened after a surfer was severely mauled in the first shark attack there for almost 60 years.
The 33-year-old surfer was savaged on Thursday evening, the day after a navy diver was mauled by a shark in Sydney Harbour, within sight
of the Sydney Opera House.
The Bondi local was attacked after catching a wave about 7.30pm (AEDT).
He was paddling back out for another surf when the shark loomed from nowhere and locked its jaws on to his left arm, partially severing his hand, an ambulance spokeswoman told AAP.
The victim managed to climb back on to his board and frantically signalled to other surfers who helped him back to shore.
Two off-duty doctors, a man and a woman, who happened to be on the beach at the time, ran over to assist, giving him first aid until an ambulance crew arrived.
The victim was rushed several kilometres to St Vincent's Hospital, where he underwent 10 hours of surgery and remains in a serious but stable condition.
Another surfer in the water at the time of the attack, James McIntosh, told reporters he realised something was wrong even before the alarm was raised.
"I noticed about five guys catching one wave together, coming in on their bellies, which never happens," Mr McIntosh told ABC Radio on Friday.
Mr McIntosh said he'd been paddling out to catch another wave when they signalled to him to get out of the water.
Before he knew it, he was back on the water's edge and standing next to the shark's victim, who was holding his badly gashed hand above his head.
"As I stood up, alongside me was the guy that had just been attacked by the shark," Mr McIntosh said.
"Sure enough, his hand was just hanging by his thumb and skin."
Mr McIntosh said he took off the victim's surfboard ankle strap and wrapped it around his arm to make a tourniquet.
"He was quite wired - he looked like he was about to pass out. And he said to me ... 'Tell my wife please, and that I love her'."
Bondi beach was closed early on Friday morning but reopened around 8am (AEDT) after lifeguards declared it safe, said Waverley Council Mayor Sally Betts.
She said the sharks usually appeared in early morning and in the evening to feed on fish.
They were less of a threat during the day.
"Our lifeguards are quite confident that the beach is safe and that's why they've opened it," Ms Betts told AAP.
She said Friday's rough and windy conditions would keep many people away, anyway.
"I would go in but except it's too cold," Ms Betts said.
The last recorded attack on a surfer at Bondi Beach was in 1951.
On Wednesday, Able Seaman Paul de Gelder lost his hand and could still lose part of a leg after being attacked by what was believed to be bull shark near Garden Island.
Just before 7am (AEDT), Able Seaman de Gelder, a police diver and a safety boat were somewhere between HMAS Kuttabul navy base at Garden Island and Mrs Macquarie's Chair as part of an underwater trial of new naval defence technology, when the shark struck.
He remains in a serious but stable condition at St Vincent's.
- AAP
