Shark attack in Sydney 2022: who was British victim Simon Nellist and what happened in Little Bay, Australia?

It has been reported that the victim of a fatal shark attack that took place in Sydney on Wednesday 16 February has been confirmed as British man Simon Nellist.

His death is the first to have occurred in Sydney by a shark attack since 1963.

What happened?

In a statement, New South Wales Police said that the authorities were called to Little Bay at around 4:35pm local time, following reports of a swimmer being attacked by a shark.

Police said: “About 4:35pm on the 16 February 2022, emergency services were called to the Little Bay northern headland after reports a swimmer had been attacked by a shark.

“Officers attached to Eastern Beaches Police Area Command with assistance from the MAC and Surf Life Saving NSW attended and located human remains in the water.”

The New South Wales ambulance service said that the victim had “suffered catastrophic injuries and there was nothing paramedics could do”.

Witness Kris Linto told Nine News: “[The person] was swimming and a shark came and attacked [them] vertically.

“We heard a yellow and turned around, it looked like a car had landed in the water, a big splash then the shark.”

Another witness told ABC News: “It was terrible. I am shaking. I keep vomiting. It’s very, very upsetting.”

Dylan Parker, Mayor of Randwick Council which includes Little Bay, said: “This has been a complete shock for our community.

“Our coastline is our backyard and to have a tragic death under such horrifying circumstances is completely shocking.”

Has the shark been located?

A number of Sydney’s beaches, including the iconic Bondi beach, have been temporarily closed as officials continue to search for the killer shark, with swimmers banned from entering into the water. The beaches have been cleared to reopen on Friday 18 February.

On Thursday, jet skis patrolled a 25km stretch of water from Bondi to Cronulla in search of the shark, with authorities also deploying the use of helicopters and drones.

Based on footage of the incident taken by a bystander, the state government has said that its shark experts estimate the creature to be a great white shark “at least three metres” in length.

A spokesman for the Department of Primary Industries (DPI) said: “Based on footage provided by the public including eyewitness accounts, DPI shark biologists believe that a white shark, at least three metres in length, was likely responsible.

“DPI will continue to work with NSW police and Surf Life Saving NSW to monitor the area and provide technical advice and resources as required.”

The last fatal shark attack to have happened on a Sydney beach was in 1963, at Sugarloaf Bay. Shark attacks in Sydney are infrequent because the city has a number of deterrents in its waters, such as long shark nets.

The New South Wales Department of Primary Industries says that “while the nets cannot provide a guarantee that a shark interaction will never happen, we believe they have been effective in greatly reducing the potential number of interactions”.

Who was Simon Nellist?

The victim of the attack has been confirmed by a friend as 35-year-old British man Simon Nellist.

Police have not yet formally identified the victim, nor has his family made any comment.

Friends said 35-year-old Mr Nellist “loved the water” and was an experienced diving instructor.

Local MP Michael Daley said that Mr Nellist was a regular swimmer at the beach.

It is believed Mr Nellist was a British expatriate living in the Wolli Creek area of Sydney, and was engaged to be married.

Della Ross, a friend of Mr Nelllist, told broadcaster 7News: “Everything that is connected to Simon, to me is connected to the ocean.

“The news hit us like a truck because he really is one of the people that makes this earth better.”

It is believed Mr Nellist was training for the 5k Malabar Ocean Swim, which was due to take place this weekend, when he was killed. The event has been cancelled out of respect, organisers said.

An event statement read: “The organising committee extends our thoughts and prayers to the family of the swimmer who was so tragically taken yesterday.

“Out of respect for the swimmer and his family, and following wide consultation with Randwick Council and experienced, senior Surf Life Saving personnel, we believe that cancelling the 2022 swim is appropriate.”

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