Great white shark kills surfer

An expert has determined that a surfer was killed off California’s Central Coast by a 15 to 16ft great white shark.

Ralph Collier of the Shark Research Committee made the judgment after examining the body of 39-year-old Francisco Solorio, of Orcutt.

Mr Solorio was bitten in the upper torso in the waters off Surf Beach in Santa Barbara County on Tuesday and died at the scene despite a friend’s efforts to save him.

Surf Beach is at Vandenberg Air Force Base, about 150 miles north west of Los Angeles.