Deadly Shark Attack in Australia: Ukrainian Man Dies While Escaping the Predator.

Tragic Shark Attack in Sydney

According to The Sun: Shouts of 'don't bite me' were heard before a shark ripped apart the father of a child.

57-year-old Mercury Psilakis was pulled from the water without 'both of his legs' after the attack by a 20-foot shark, witnesses report.

AP AP Mercury left behind a daughter and wife (in the photo)

Mercury was pulled ashore by other surfers around 10 a.m. but unfortunately, he died on the beach.

He had been in the water off Long Reef and Dee Why beaches for about 30 minutes with friends before the fatal attack.

Mercury was 328 feet from shore when he and his surfboard disappeared from sight.

Locals believe the shark was likely a great white due to its size and the severe injuries to the man's lower body.

Witness to the attack, Mark Morgental shared his impressions: the shark was one of the largest he has ever seen.

“There was a guy shouting: 'I don't want to be bitten, I don't want to be bitten, don't bite me'”, he said in an interview with Sky News Australia.

“I saw the shark's dorsal fin, and it was enormous. Then I saw the tail fin, which started swimming, and the distance between the dorsal and the tail fin looked about four meters, so it really did look like the shark was six meters.”

The police confirmed that two pieces of surfboard were found at the scene and sent for investigation.

Authorities in New South Wales described Mercury as an “experienced surfer” who left behind a wife and a small daughter.

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Inspector of New South Wales Police Stewart Thomson noted: “It appears that a large shark attacked him, and as a result, he lost several limbs.

“His friends managed to reach the beach safely, but soon after, his body was found in the water.

“Unfortunately, by the time we realized he had probably lost a lot of blood, and resuscitation was impossible.

“We know he left a wife and a small daughter – with Father's Day tomorrow, this is particularly tragic.”

Investigators are working to determine the species of the shark that attacked, and rescuers are patrolling the waters on jet skis.

Several drones are also flying over the ocean in search of the 'killer'.

Rod McGibbon, an officer of Surf Life Saving (SLS), expressed the opinion that nearby beaches are likely to remain closed for 24-72 hours.

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CEO of SLS Steven Pearce urged: “Please stay away from the water at beaches in this area and follow the instructions of lifesavers.

“Our heartfelt condolences to the family of the man who became a victim of this horrific tragedy.”

Local resident Bill Sukala is confident that this attack will leave the surfing community 'scared' for some time.

“I think this will cause shock in the community; everyone will be nervous for a while,” he said in an interview with ABC News.

Mercury was well-known in the local community for his exotic plants business, which he actively promoted on social media.

This attack was the first of the year in New South Wales.

Sydney is considered a relatively safe area from sharks, and this has only happened twice in 60 years.

In 2022, British diving instructor Simon Nellist was killed in Little Bay, eastern Sydney, due to an apparent attack by a great white shark while training for a charity swim.

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This tragedy once again highlights the danger associated with visiting beaches where sharks may be present, despite such incidents being rare. Local authorities urge residents and tourists to be vigilant while enjoying water activities and to follow safety measures.

An investigation is currently underway to learn more about the circumstances of the attack, and rescuers are making efforts to patrol the coastline in these days.