A surfer was killed by a shark being described as “massive” Monday in Western Australia. Steven Payne, 37, of Melbourne was in the area with his partner and dog as part of a six-month traveling holiday, the Canberra Times reports. He was surfing at the remote Wharton Beach when he was seen in distress in chest-deep water. A shark had been spotted in the area earlier, and Payne’s surfboard was later found floating in the water with bite marks, ABC.net reports. A witness using a drone captured video of a shark swimming away from a cloud of blood in the water.
“Unfortunately, that search has not recovered the surfer’s body, and I can also confirm that our search is a recovery, not a rescue,” a local police sergeant told reporters Tuesday, calling the situation “heartbreaking.” He added that Payne’s partner witnessed the tragedy. The shark has not been seen since the attack, and the beach is expected to reopen Wednesday, People reports. Four fatal shark attacks have occurred in the area since 2017. (More shark attack stories.)