Western Australia: Shark bites off Australian surfer’s leg

A surfer is in a critical state after his leg was bitten off by a shark in Western Australia at a beach.

When the assault happened, Ben Gerring, 29, was in the water near Mandurah, south of Perth.

Local media reports said before he was taken to hospital Mr Gerring was resuscitated. He remains in a critical state and has undergone surgery.

“He was right out the back looking to get a big wave, one of the set waves that had been coming through during the day,” Brian Williams, president of the Mandurah Boardriders Club and friend of the victim, told ABC.

“He’d sort of paddled out the back, sort of past the pack slightly. And next thing all hell broke loose and they were trying to bring him in.

“His board was broken in half, they found the tail part of his board,” Mr Williams said.

Surf Lifesaving Western Australia apparently issued a warning before the assault, after an unknown species of shark was found in the neighborhood.