'Someone's just been eaten by a shark': Horrific moment swimmer is bitten to death by a 13ft great white at packed Sydney beach

 A swimmer has been killed in Australia after being mauled by a 13ft great white shark in front of terrified witnesses who recalled hearing the man’s ear-splitting screams.

Horrifying footage from the scene shows local fishermen watching on helplessly as the victim was attacked by the predator at Buchan Point off Sydney at 4.30pm local time on Wednesday.One witness described how they saw the shark ‘swallow parts of his body’ after ripping him in two with blood then seen rising from the water. It was the first fatal shark attack in Sydney since 1963.

After the alarm was raised, rescue helicopters and lifesavers on jet skis were sent out in search of the swimmer, with dozens of local swimmers ordered out of the water.

In the footage, a fisherman can be heard shouting 'someone just got eaten by a shark'.

The swimmer's remains were found in the water a short time afterwards, New South Wales Police confirmed. Parts of a wetsuit were also recovered. 

Witnesses has recalled the horrifying moment the swimmer was mauled by a great white shark

Emergency services launched a search for the swimmer and found human remains shortly afterwards

Shark attacks can occur at any time of year in Australia but are more common during the summer months from November to April when millions of people flock to the beaches during the warmer weather (file picture)

'Footage clearly shows a body, half a body being taken by a shark,' a police officer told colleagues over a scanner.

'They have found some remains.' 

The horrifying scenes occurred in front of dozens of fishermen and other Sydney beachgoers, who heard the swimmer's screams before the attack unfolded, sparking panic on shore.

'Someone just got eaten by a shark. Oh man! Oh no! That's insane. That's a great white shark,' one fisherman can be heard yelling in the footage.

'The person's still there!' 

'I just saw a four to five metre (13ft) great white explode on the surface just here on a swimmer and it was like a car landing in the water.

'F*** man, I heard a scream and the shark was just chomping on his body and the body was in half just off the rocks here.'

'It came back and swallowed parts of his body and that was it. It disappeared.'  

A swimmer has died after a fatal shark attack at Little Bay Beach (scene pictured) on Wednesday afternoon

Shocked witnesses  (pictured speaking to police) heard the swimmer's screams in the water

Kris Linto (pictured) was fishing at the time when he witnessed the horrifying shark attack

How common are shark attacks in Australia? 

Australia's coastline is more than 16,000 miles long and around 170 of the 400 species of sharks inhabit Australian waters. 

Shark attacks can occur at any time of year in Australia but are more common during the summer months from November to April when millions of people flock to the beaches during the warmer weather. 

In 2020, Australia reported 22 unprovoked shark attacks which made up 38 per cent of the worldwide total. Of these, eight were fatal and made up half of all fatal shark attacks worldwide in 2020. 

On average, 77 shark attacks occur worldwide each year, with the US usually reporting the highest number. In 2020, Florida represented 48 per cent of all US shark attacks. 

In 2021, the Florida Museum of Natural History’s investigated 137 alleged shark attacks worldwide.

The US made up most of the attacks, reporting 47, one of which proved fatal when a surfer was killed - possibly by a great white - on Christmas Eve off the central coast of California, authorities said. The state of Florida reported more than half of all attacks in the US in 2021 - with a total of 28. 

There were 12 recorded shark attacks in Australia in 2021 and figures show three of these proved fatal. 

Paul Millachip, 57, was believed to have been the last person killed during a shark attack in Australia in 2021 before today when he was taken by a shark while swimming at a beach in North Fremantle in Perth in November - with the attack witnessed by multiple people.

The fatal attack followed warnings that shark attacks are increasing.

In the 1990s there were 82 recorded shark attacks in Australia, which jumped to 161 in the following decade.

From 2010 to 2020 there were 220 and in 2021 there were three deadly attacks reported in Australia.

Bond's University researcher Dr Daryl McPhee said the rise in attacks worldwide was down to a number of factors including more people being on the water doing activities, in more remote locations, and also warmer oceans are forcing shark and their food supply to different areas.

'There is a long term trend of an increasing number of shark bites in Australia and overseas,' Dr McPhee told The Project.

'Sharks are part of the marine environment and if we could track where every shark was you would find there would be a large shark on most popular beaches most days of the year.'

'So we need to find ways to co-exist.'

Professor Callum Brown from Macquarie University said despite the increase in shark attacks they are still exceptionally rare.

He added that old school methods of shark control such as nets, drum lines, and culls were being replaced with newer methods which are potentially more accurate.

One such method is to deploy drones which scan the water and send images to an artificial intelligence computer which can accurately spot sharks.

There are also personal deterrents which work by emitting an electrical pulse but these have the be used within metres from a shark to be effective.

And finally there are camouflage wetsuit and surfboard decals which can prevent surfers from appearing like seals to hungry sharks.

'Our fear is really, it's driven by guts. Not really by any data or any sort of realistic estimate of what the actual risk is. You should be more scared of getting in your car.' he said. 

New South Wales Police said in a statement: 'An investigation into the swimmer's death is ongoing, and Little Bay Beach is closed as officers continue to search the area.'

Police said they would work with the state's Department of Primary Industries to investigate the circumstances of the swimmer's death.

A report would be prepared for the state coroner.

Four ambulance road crews and a rescue helicopter with a critical care doctor and a critical care paramedic on board attended the scene. 

The police offered no information about the identity of the swimmer. 

'Unfortunately this person had suffered catastrophic injuries and there wasn't a lot paramedics could do when we arrived,' NSW Ambulance Inspector Lucky Phrachanh said.

It's the first fatal shark attack in Sydney since 1963.

It's understood the victim was a local who knew the beach well and often swam out towards the headland.

'Some guy was swimming and a shark came and attacked him vertically,' fisherman Kris Linto told Nine News. 

'We heard a yell and turned around it looked like a car had landed in the water, a big splash then the shark was chomping at the body and there was blood everywhere.'

'It was really bad.' 

Another shaken witness recalled how the swimmer was dragged under the water by the shark, with the attack lasting just several seconds.

'He was yelling at first, and then when he went down there were so many splashes,' he told the ABC.

'It was terrible. I am shaking. The shark wouldn't stop. 

'I keep vomiting. It's very, very upsetting. He just went down for a swim, enjoying the day, but that shark took his life.'

Little Bay Beach has been closed as officers continue to search the area.

All beaches in the Randwick council area, including Clovelly and Maroubra, will also remain closed the next 24 hours, with signs erecting to warn people away as part of 'standard operating procedures' following a fatal shark attack.

Lifeguards will patrol the beaches looking out for sharks during that time, the council said.  

'The coast is our community’s backyard. Little Bay is normally such a calm, beautiful place enjoyed by families,' Randwick mayor Dylan Parker said.

'To lose someone to an shark attack like this is chilling. We are all in shock.

'Our entire area’s hearts go out to the family.'

Police will liaise with the Department of Primary Industries (DPI) to investigate the circumstances surrounding the death of the swimmer. 

'DPI extends sincere condolences to the family and friends and first responders at this tragic time, a spokeswoman told Daily Mail Australia.

'DPI will continue to work with NSW Police and SLS NSW to monitor the area and provide any technical advice and resources if required, including deploying SMART drumlines in the area.' 

Little Bay Beach is regarded by Randwick Council as one of Sydney's undiscovered jewels and a 'secret' beach popular with locals. 

The latest tragedy comes after the death of a father and son rock fishing at the same site two weeks ago.

The New South Wales state government has spent millions of dollars on technology in an attempt to reduce shark attacks along its coast amid public concern, deploying nets at 51 beaches, as well as drones and shark listening stations that can track great white sharks by satellite and send an alert when one is sighted.

There were three fatal shark attacks across Australia last year, including two in New South Wales, according to a database compiled by the Taronga Conservation Society. 

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Jet skis were also used in the frantic search for swimmer before human remains were found

It was the first fatal shark attack in Sydney in almost 60 years (pictured, rescue helicopters at the scene)

No fatalities had been recorded so far in 2022. 

The last fatality from a shark bite in Sydney was in 1963 from a person bitten by a bull shark while 'standing in the water', a Taronga spokeswoman said.

Police urged beachgoers to follow safety guidance from Surf Life Saving NSW.

Paramedics say there was nothing they could do as the swimmer suffered catastrophic injuries

The organisation advises people to swim only in patrolled areas on the beach, avoid swimming at dawn, dusk and night, steer clear of schools of baitfish and keep away from river mouths or murky water.

A SharkSmart app provided by the New South Wales government alerts swimmers and surfers in real time when a shark is detected nearby.

New South Wales relies on a string of listening stations, drumlines, shark nets and shark-spotting drones to protect people in the water. 

Fatal shark attacks in Australia since 2020

January 5, 2020: Diver Gary Johnson, 57, was killed by a great white shark while diving with his wife near Esperance in WA

April 6, 2020: Wildlife ranger Zachary Robba, 23, was mauled to death by a shark while swimming off the Great Barrier Reef in Queensland

June 7, 2020: Surfer Rob Pedretti, 60, was killed by a great white shark while he was boarding at Salt Beach near Kingscliff in far northern NSW

July 4 2020: Spearfisher Matthew Tratt, 36, was mauled to death by a suspected great white shark in a 'provoked' attack on Fraser Island in Queensland

July 11, 2020: Surfer Mani Hart-Deville, 15, was boarding when he was killed by a suspected great white shark at Wooli Beach, near Grafton on the NSW North Coast

September 8, 2020: Surfer Nick Slater, 46, was mauled to death by a suspected great white at Greenmount Beach on the Gold Coast

October 9, 2020: Father-of-two Andrew Sharpe was killed by a shark while surfing at Kelp Beds in Wylie Bay, near Esperance on WA's south coast

November 22, 2020: Cable Beach, WA: Charles Cernobori, 59, who worked at a Cable Beach hotel was killed by a 4m suspected tiger shark while bodyboarding 2km north of the main tourist section

November 6, 2021: Paul Millachip, 57, was believed to have been taken by a shark while swimming at a beach in North Fremantle in Perth - with the attack witnessed by multiple people 

The last Briton killed by a great white in Australia was believed to be Paul Wilcox, 50, originally from Coventry. The businessman died near his home in Byron Bay, New South Wales, in 2014