Surfer, 65, injured after being attacked by shark near Black Head Beach in NSW

David Quinlivan, a 65-year-old man, has suffered severe injuries to his lower leg after being knocked off his surfing board by a shark near Black Head Beach in New South Wales. According to the doctors who were treating his wounds, the man suffered lacerations down to his bones.

Quinlivan told the police that while he was surfing, something knocked him off his board and he believes that it was a shark. He was bitten by the shark, causing puncture wounds at his ankles and injuries down to his bones. He managed to get back on the surf ski and alerted other people on shore who pulled him out of the water.

Paramedics treated him at the scene, from where he was airlifted by Westpac Life Saver Rescue helicopter to the John Hunter Hospital in Newcastle. Quinlivan lives in Tallwoods Village, only a few minutes’ drive from the scene.

"The injuries consist of some lacerations and puncture wounds to his lower left leg," Acting Inspector Matthew Hinton said. "Some surgery will have to be undertaken to repair some damage." He also said that the size and the species of the shark are still unknown and the police are working with the Department of Fisheries to identify it.

A series of shark attacks in the recent months have led the NSW government to tag the first lot of the great white shark as a part of its monitoring program.

"These attacks are unprecedented, they're extraordinary and they are going to require action," the ABC quoted New South Wales Premier Mike Baird as saying on Friday. "The local mayor has done a great job consulting, but look, we have to do more."

Only two weeks ago, a bodyboarder was attacked and bitten by a shark at the Lighthouse Beach, south of Port Macquarie on the mid-north coast. Surf Life Saving NSW said it hoped that incident was a one-off incident in the area and doesn’t become a frequent hazard.

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