Simon Nellist has been identified as the man tragically killed by a shark at Little Bay. Photo / Facebook
Simon Nellist has been identified as the man tragically killed by a shark at Little Bay. Photo / Facebook
The swimmer tragically killed by a shark off a popular Sydney beach on Wednesday has been identified as 35-year-old diving instructor Simon Nellist - who was hoping to marry soon.
A devastated mate revealed the 35-year-old's wedding to the "girl of his dreams" had been delayed due to Covid beforehe was killed.
The swimmer was mauled to death by a great white shark as he trained for a charity ocean swim, ahead of his planned wedding to Jessie Ho, The Sun reports.
He was just 150m away from the beach at Buchan Point, near Little Bay in Sydney, when the predator struck in Sydney's first fatal shark attack in nearly 60 years.
The British expat's remains were found in the water on Wednesday afternoon following the ordeal.
Expert Lawrence Chlebeck said that the ferocious shark probably mistook the swimmer – reportedly wearing a wetsuit – for a seal when it launched and attacked Nellist.
He was reportedly training for Malabar's Magic Ocean Swim this weekend, which was cancelled following the fatal attack at Little Bay out of respect for the victim and his family.
"The news hit us like a truck because he is really one of the people who make this earth better," Della Ross, fellow diving instructor and friend, told Seven News, highlighting his love for the ocean.
"Everything that is connected to Simon, to me is connected to the ocean."
Nellist was vocal about his passion.
"Shark net and drum lines protect no one and kill all kinds of marine life each year," he wrote on Facebook six months ago.
After the attack on Wednesday afternoon, NSW Department of Primary Industries temporarily installed six smart drumlines between Little Bay and Malabar to catch the animal as part of a shark incident response plan.
Simon Nellist was a British expat about to be married. Photo / Facebook
Maroubra MP Michael Daley told ABC News Breakfast the morning after the attack that he had been briefed by police and said the victim swam there "nearly every day".
In a Facebook post on Thursday afternoon NSW Police called on information from the public to assist its investigation.
"The swimmer is yet to be formally identified but is believed to have been a 35-year-old man from Wolli Creek," NSW Police said.
"Police are encouraging anyone who may have seen the man before or during the incident to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000. Information is treated in strict confidence."
Police, surf rescue and members of the public look on at a surf rescue member after the shark attack at Little Bay, Sydney. Photo / News Ltd
People fishing off rocks on the point witnessed the attack, with one man capturing a horrific video.
Lifeguards surveyed the beaches on jet skis and used drones to search for sharks along the coast.
NSW Fisheries drop drum lines off Little Bay beach after a fatal shark attack. Photo / News Ltd
"For tomorrow and for the weekend we will have a number of jet skis patrolling the area and also too we'll have a drone flying at Maroubra," Randwick City Council lifeguard supervisor Paul Moffatt said.
NSW Department of Primary Industries has temporarily installed six smart drumlines between Little Bay and Malabar to catch the animal as part of a shark incident response plan.
Dr Christopher Pepin-Neff, a lecturer in public policy at the University of Sydney, commended the government for closing the beaches after the attack.
"While killing individual sharks does not reduce the risk from shark bites, public education to stay out of the water when sharks are close to shore makes a difference," he said.
"This is a complete tragedy and public officials have a responsibility not to fear monger in the face of disaster."
The young swimmer is lucky to be alive after the horror attack. She managed to swim to shore where locals tended to her before she was flown to hospital in Perth.
