Great white shark seen ‘acting aggressively’ before surfer went missing from Granites Beach, South Australia

Hours before a young surfer was reportedly attacked by a shark on a remote South Australian beach, a local fisherman was warning others about an “aggressive” great white in the area.

Emergency services rushed to Granites Beach in Westall on South Australia’s Eyre Peninsula just after 7pm on Thursday.

It’s understood the board of the 28-year-old missing surfer washed up on the beach on Friday with a bite mark in it.

The beach, an eight-hour drive from Adelaide, has been closed and the public has been told to avoid the area.

“A search is currently underway for the person,” South Australia Police said.

But in a tragic twist for the young surfer and just four hours before the alarm was raised, a local took to a South Australian West Coast shark alert Facebook forum to warn people about a great white.

“Large great white sighted acting aggressively near Granites, Streaky Bay,” they wrote.

Another local later took to the same Facebook group to mourn the surfer.

“Dear community, there has been a devastating fatality at Granites, Streaky Bay. Our thoughts are with the family, friends and fellow surfers. It is a traumatising and sad time, please get around each other,” they wrote.

“This forum is a shark alert page and not a forum to express opinions and speculation. Your opinions are yours alone and not appropriate on this page. Thoughts for family and friends are appropriate in this instance.”

Granites is a well-known breeding ground for great white sharks and was the site of another fatal mauling just over a year ago.

Tod Gendle, 55, was attacked at Granites in October 2023.

Gendle was one of about a dozen surfers in the water at the time.

“(The shark) grabbed him, pulled him back down, brought him back up, pulled him back down again,” one witness said.

A 4.2m great white was spotted in the water shortly after Gendle disappeared at the popular break.

Despite a massive emergency response and immediate search, only parts of his board and a piece of his wetsuit were recovered.

“We wish to express our heartfelt thanks to the police and volunteers for their dedicated efforts in the recent days,” Gendle’s family said in a statement following the attack.

“We extend our appreciation to his friends and the local community of Streaky Bay who had the chance to know Tod.

“Our thoughts and prayers are with those who were with Tod on that day.”