Shark bites off teenager's leg

A 15-year-old tourist had part of his leg bitten off by a shark today as he swam at a beach in Australia’s remote southwest, officials said.

The youth, holidaying with his family from South Australia, was attacked as he body surfed with his 18-year-old brother and a 15-year-old friend about 40 yards offshore at Duke of Orleans Bay, about 435 miles south of the Western Australia state capital of Perth, said ambulance spokesman Stephen Luke.

Family and friends tried to administer medical aid on the beach before he was rushed taken to hospital in an ambulance in the nearby town of Esperance under police escort, he said.

Shark attacks are relatively common in Australian waters, which are home to some of the world’s deadliest sea beasts including the Great White Shark. The type of shark involved in Saturday’s attack wasn’t known.

The beach was closed until further notice.

In January, a scuba diver was mauled by a great white near Perth. Less than a week earlier, a woman was killed in an attack by several sharks off Australia’s east coast.

Scientists say there are an average of 15 shark attacks a year in Australian waters – one of the highest rates in the world – and just over one per year are fatal.