ATTACKED BY SHARK

Southland Times, Issue 19500, 14 March 1925, Page 5

ATTACKED BY SHARK

MAN’S TERRIBLE FATE DEATH FROM FRIGHTFUL INJURIES AN HEROIC RESCUE. (By Telegraph—Press Assn.—Copyright.) (Australian and N.Z. Cable Association.) SYDNEY, March 12. Jack Canning, aged 22, when surfing on Newcastle Beach, was savagely attacked by a shark, which made a terrific rush at Canning, throwing him into the air. Canning fought desperately for fully a minute in full view of the crowds of horrified spectators on the beach.

Gordon Lees, an official life-saver, went to the rescue with a life-line and succeeded in bringing Canning ashore, being followed by the shark to within a few yards of the beach. Canning was terribly mangled, and died while en route to hospital. Later. When the shark attacked him, Canning, who was one of the Newcastle Surf Club’s swimmers, tried to fight the monster off, but was dragged under. When he re-ap-peared it was seen that he had only one arm, with which he made feeble attempts to keep afloat. The other had been bitten off above the elbow. He was almost unconscious ’ when Lee reached him. He gasped out: “Save me, Gordon, I am done.” Lee, with the shark still in the vicinity, took Canning in his arms, and secured the life-line, and the two were quickly pulled ashore by the excited crowd, w’hich watched the heroic rescue. Besides his arm, Canning’s thigh was’bitten through and a large wound was inflicted in the abdomen.

Half-an-hour after the tragedy, a ten-foot grey nose shark was seen swimming in the vicinity. A harpoon was secured, but the shark disappeared before anything could be done.

Three weeks ago Canning won the junior alarm reel race at Newcastle, and last Saturday came third in the junior State surfing championship at Manly.