A surfer from the Mid North Coast of New South Wales is counting his blessings after a terrifyingly close encounter with a shark left him shaken but alive. The incident is part of a worrying spate of shark interactions that have forced the closure of multiple beaches.
A Sudden Attack in Clear Waters
Paul Zvirzdinas, 39, was enjoying a surf at Point Plomer Beach on Tuesday morning when the peaceful session turned into a fight for survival. He was sitting on his board when he was suddenly struck from the side. "I briefly saw the top of the shark’s head when I turned, before spotting its body when I went underwater," Zvirzdinas told 7NEWS.
His instinct took over immediately. "Then a little bit of a thrash, came up, yelled to the other surfers, grabbed my board and just turned and paddled," he recounted. In that heart-stopping moment, his only thought was to "get to shore." He described the water conditions as clear and the waves as good, with no warning signs before the attack.
Visible Scars and a Lucky Escape
The shark left its mark, both on Zvirzdinas and his equipment. He sustained a wound to his chest, while the predator bit his surfboard, leaving clear and visible bite marks on the board and his wetsuit. Reflecting on the severity of the attack, Zvirzdinas said, "It kind of scratched me. Could have been a lot worse." He drove himself to Kempsey District Hospital for treatment and was later discharged, profoundly grateful to his "lucky stars" that he survived.
The event has deeply unsettled the tight-knit local surfing community. "Everyone’s pretty shaken because we’ve spent so much time in the water and we, this is our home break … it’s pretty close to home," Zvirzdinas explained. He plans to take time to process the traumatic event with his family.
A Series of Alarming Incidents Along the Coast
This attack is not an isolated event. It follows a string of serious shark encounters along the NSW coast in recent days:
- Andre de Ruyter, 27, was bitten on the legs by a shark at North Steyne Beach near Manly about 6.20pm on Monday. He was pulled from the water unconscious by fellow surfers and rushed to Royal North Shore Hospital, where he remains in a critical condition. Lifesavers applied an emergency tourniquet, and he received 13 units of blood en route to hospital.
- Earlier on Monday, an 11-year-old boy narrowly escaped injury when a shark bit a large chunk from his surfboard at Dee Why Point.
- 12-year-old Nico Antic is also in a critical condition in hospital after being attacked by a shark at Vaucluse around 4.20pm on Sunday.
In response to these alarming incidents, a swathe of beaches has been closed as a precaution. The closures include Point Plomer Beach, One Palm Beach, Back Beach, Queens Head, and all Northern Beaches. Authorities are urging the public to heed these warnings and stay informed about local safety updates.
