'Lucky to be alive': Surfer survives great white attack on northern NSW coast
The mates of a Byron Bay surfer attacked by a shark on a northern NSW beach say he is lucky to be alive after a 3.5m white pointer flung him into the air.
Abe McGrath, 35, was surfing at Main Beach, Iluka, at around 6.30am on Sunday when his board was hit hard from below by what he recognised as a great white shark.
The vicious attack left him bleeding and resulted in his board being snapped in half.
"The impact lifted him up - the shark was coming from the deep and hit (Abe's board) with its nose and opened its mouth and latched onto the board," mate Bryce Cameron told the Northern Star after witnessing the attack.
"The shark got the majority of the board in its mouth.
"Abe was left floating in the water with a couple of teeth marks on his body.
"He scrambled in the water and got washed in by the next wave."
Mr Cameron posted an image of Mr McGrath's broken board to Instagram.
"Life could have been very different this morning," he said.
"So stoked to still have our mate and not witness something far worse."
He said Mr McGrath limped up the beach after the attack.
McGrath and his friends drove to Ballina hospital where he was treated before being sent to Lismore hospital where he received several stiches.
"He was pretty happy to be alive, he had a few of his mates around, he's just pretty grateful I'd say," Mr Cameron said.
He was later discharged and was able to go home.
Main and Bluff beaches at Iluka, just north of Yamba, have remained closed since the incident.
The NSW Department of Primary Industries said a shark biologist would assess the injury and try to determine the size and species of shark involved.
A second shark net trial for the region was announced this month for five beaches in Ballina, Lennox Head and Evans Head, however there are no nets installed at Iluka where the attack occurred.
The department began deploying 25 drum lines daily, as well as drone and helicopter surveillance, in response to several incidents on the stretches of coastline around Ballina.
There are reports a whale carcass was also discovered floating nearby possibly luring the shark into the area.
