UPDATE: Latest information from victim’s brother-in-law.
“Toby Begg was the victim of a 4m great white shark attack on 25 August 2023 at Lighthouse Beach, Port Macquarie, Australia. Thankfully an off-duty emergency doctor was on scene to assist him however, his injuries are extremely serious and life changing. He is a skilled builder, runs a business and is the family bread winner. It is very early stages and the full extent of his injuries are being uncovered however, he will require many surgeries and has years of rehabilitation ahead of him.
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New sites around the country have reported that a 44-year-old man was attacked by a shark whilst surfing at Lighthouse Beach, Port Macquarie, this morning. He is now in a critical condition at Port Macquarie hospital.
Only a week ago surfers from around the country had gathered in Port Macquarie for the Australian Surfing Titles.
This morning the lineup near Watonga Rocks, south of Tacking Point. was reportedly busy with surfers when the attack happened. Several boardriders assisted the man to shore, some reports claiming the shark continued to harass the surfers as they ferried the injured man to shore.
According to 9news.com.au “He suffered serious leg injuries and was treated by NSW Ambulance paramedics before being taken to Port Macquarie Hospital in a critical condition.”
The attack comes despite the fact a host of shark attack mitigation devices have been deployed in the Port Macquarie area. Although there are no shark nets, fifteen smart drum lines are in place that allow sharks to be tagged and released, while a listening station in the area triggers an alert to the NSW government’s Shark Smart app when a tagged shark swims past.
Last week the debate over shark nets circulated through the press with many experts suggesting they were ineffective and cruel – particularly to the marine life not being targeted. Despite the widespread opposition, NSW Premier Chris Minns elected to install shark nets at 51 beaches from Newcastle to Wollongong in time for the summer season.
While one surfer fights for his life, the search continues for the most effective and ecologically sensitive way or ways of preventing a shark attack. Surfers accept that a shark incident is part of the risk, but it sure would be nice to know that some major funds and brilliant minds are doing their best to come up with a strategy. The Australian government is talking about dropping between $268bn to $368bn on submarines to keep our coastlines safe. In the meantime there is one kind of attack every Australian swimmer and surfer would love to stop.
