KILLED BY SHARKS

Greymouth Evening Star, 9 March 1922, Page 3

KILLED BY SHARKS

— — . ■ — BATHER’S FRIGHTFUL DEATH. SYDNEY, Feb. 23. Sharks are adding considerably to the list of Sydney’s tragedies this summer. The Coogee tragedy is still in the minds of the people, and now a fresh story of death from a shark lias been told in the Coroner’s Court. The gruesome discovery of human remains on Bilgola beach, Newport, on the morning of February Bth, and the finding of portion of a bathing costume, identifieod as that of Normal Whitley, a surveyor, aged 22, who had been missing since February 6lh, were described at the Coroner’s Court yesterday. when an inquiry into Whitley’s death was held. T’he remains were horribly mutilated. The young man was engaged in survey work on an estate near the beach. The day following his disappearance three sharks were seen about 60 feet from the shore by Constable Huckins. Harold Paul .Mulligan, Whitley’s employer, said that Whitley swam some distance out from the beach to dodge the seaweed, and was probably attacked by a shark’. “I heard” he added, “that five sharks were seen there the day Im disappeareii. I here are also thousands of Jeat herjaekets there, and they would tear a body to pieces. They can bite through a wire.”

Dr. Strafford Sheldon said that, after examining (he remains, he formed the opinion that the titan had been attacked by sharks. He could not say whether this occurred before or after death. Constable Huckins. who patrolled the beach on February 6th, said; “At this time of [ho year the coast is infested with sharks. I have heard from the fishermen at T.nng Beef that the sharks fake the fish off the lines before they can be landed.” 'The coroner found that. Whitley was ptobably killed by sharks while bathing.