A 17-year-old girl has died after being mauled by a shark in full view of her parents on Australia’s southwest coast, authorities said Tuesday.
Laeticia Brouwer was on holiday and went surfing with her father near Wylie Bay late Monday afternoon, police said.
The girl had lost a leg and was bleeding heavily when she was pulled from the water and rushed to hospital in the Western Australian town of Esperance.
Her mother and two younger sisters witnessed the attack from the beach and alerted emergency services.
“Father and daughter were surfing out where the waves were breaking and that’s where the attack occurred,” Acting Senior Sergeant Ben Jeffes told reporters.
“The father obviously tried everything he could to save his daughter.
“He’s brought her to shore and then the family have contacted emergency services.”
The West Australian newspaper said he “heard her scream before she was pulled under water by the shark.
(Feature Image Source: Twitter/Reuters)