A surfer who was beaten by a shark for his girlfriend is remembered as an 'incredible person', because the authorities work desperately to find his body.
Steven Payne, 37, from New Zealand, was only a few weeks in a journey of six months around Australia with his girlfriend and their dog when they stopped for a surf on Wharton Beach on the south coast of Western Australia on Monday.
Mr. Payne was 50 meters from the coast on breast heap at the time of the attack.
Shocked spectators, including his partner, were powerless to help him while his shouting sounded.
The rescue operation soon became a recovery mission after a member of the public shared drone images of Mr. Payne who was attacked with the police by the shark.
His surfboard was found in the neighborhood with bite brands, but the authorities still have to find his body, with recovery efforts that are resumed on Wednesday morning.
The board will be tested in an attempt to determine the type of sharks that he attacked.
Mr. Payne worked in Melbourne as a sales and marketing director and a voluntary firefighter.
Steven Payne, 37, from New Zealand, was only a few weeks in a trip of six months in Australia with his girlfriend and their dog
Mr. Payne grew up in Lower Hutt, near Wellington, and school friends remembered that he was a talented rugby player
“He was an incredible person who was always there for his friends,” said a friend
He grew up in Lower Hutt, near Wellington, and school friends, he described him as a talented rugby player.
A friend told 7 news that Mr. Payne was a 'really good boy' who had recently moved to Melbourne.
“He was an incredible person who was always there for his friends,” said another friend, who described the news as “devastating.”
It is understood that Mr. Payne and his partner have been together for more than 10 years and had previously lived in Namibia in South Africa.
Authorities arrived on the remote beach on Monday at 12.10 before they close the beach to search.
West -Australia Police Force Sergeant Christopher Taylor said on Tuesday that Mr. Payne was with several other surfers when he was attacked, but there was “nothing they could do, nothing.”
The combination of witness reports and the drone images made it so clear what happened, “he said.
“The (the drone images) shows a lot of blood, the shark and some other things that I don't really want to go for and I don't think someone else should see differently than the coroner and some other experts who will determine the type of shark and size,” said Senior Sergeant Taylor.
Steven Payne was attacked on Monday by a shark on Wharton Beach. The police are depicted on the spot
He added that Mr. Payne's girlfriend was 'distraught'.
“Her life was turned upside down,” he said.
'You can imagine how she is, it's just terrible.
“It is clearly heartbreaking and the entire community of Esperance feels the pain – not as much as the family, they are distraught and try to come to terms with what happened.”
Mr. Payne's family is supposed to be on his way to WA.
Witnesses described seeing a 'massive shark' that launched himself at the surfer in the water.
A non -ignored type of shark was detected within a few minutes after the attack on the monitoring of the Sharksmart website off the coastline of Wharton.
The same piece of the coastline of Esperance, a favorite ghost for snorkelers and surfers, has included three fatal shark attacks in eight years.
There are serious fears that the body of the surfer may never be found (photo on the spot))
In 2017, the 17-year-old surfer Laeticia Brouwer died after he was bitten by a white shark near nearby Kelp beds.
Andrew Sharpe, 52, was surfing with seven friends in Kelp Beds in 2020 when a shark bit his leg.
He was soon pulled by the shark before he could be saved.
Earlier that year, diver Gary Johnson was killed while diving with his wife from Devil Rocks, Esperance.
Esperance Shire President Ron Chambers told ABC Radio Perth that every new attack is a different blow to the community.
“The community has been here before, they will wrap around each other and ensure that they take care of each other,” said Mr. Chambers.
'We have absolutely fantastic beaches and we get many people they visit here.
“It is really sad that something like that happened on that specific beach.”
