TRAGEDY OF THE SURF

Ashburton Guardian, Volume XLV, Issue 10350, 14 March 1925, Page 5

TRAGEDY OF THE SURF

FIGHT WITH A SHARK. HEROIC RESCUE WORK. (Ver Press Association —Copyright.) K SYDNEY, March 13. When the shark attacked JackCanning, who was one of the Newcastle Surf Club swimmers, he tried to fight the monster • off, but was dragged under. When he re-appeared it was seen that he had only one arm, with which he made feeble attempts to keep afloat. Th other had been bitten ott above the elbow. The injured man was almost unconscious when another surf-bather, Gordon Lee, reached him. He gasped out, " Save me, Gordon. I am done. Lee, with the shark still in the vicinitv, took Canning in his arms and secured the life-line. The two were quickly pulled ashore by the excited crowd which watched the heroic i rescue. Besides the loss of an arm, Canning's thigh had been bitten through and a large wound had been inflicted in the abdomen.' Half an hour after the tragedy a ton-foot grey nurse shark was seen summing in the vicinity A harpoon was secured, but the shark disappeared before anything could be done. Canning died en route to hospital.