Australian surfer missing after shark attack

A surfer was missing off an Australian beach on Friday (Oct 9) after a shark attacked him and other surfers tried unsuccessfully to pull him from the water, authorities said.

The missing surfer is an adult male but authorities gave no further details about his identity. Rescuers pulled a surfboard from the water and the beach at Wylie Bay, 700 km (435 miles) southeast of Perth, was closed, police said.

"Unfortunately he hasn't been recovered at this point in time," Mark McGowan, premier of Western Australia state, told reporters.

"It's a very, very difficult and potentially tragic situation happening."

Police said they received a report of a possible shark attack at Wylie Bay at about 10.45 a.m. (0245 GMT).

A search and rescue operation was going on, police said.