The final moments of a surfer believed to have died in a shark attack before vanishing off the coast of South Australia have been revealed.
28-year-old Lance Appleby was out surfing at the popular Granites Beach site, near the coastal town of Streaky Bay on Thursday evening before cops recovered his shredded surfboard. Witnesses also reported seeing a figure in the water approaching Lance shortly after 7pm.
Family friend Jeff Schumucker, who watched the horror unfold, lifted the lid on the young sportsman’s final moments before he disappeared. He told 7NEWS: “He caught a wave and flipped off the wave and proceeded to paddle back, and he was attacked.”
Another witness rushed into the water on a jet ski to retrieve Lance’s surfboard, but there was no sign of the surfer, according to senior constable Rebecca Stokes. After spending most of the day scouring the water, emergency crews suspended their search on Friday night, saying they will renew their efforts on Saturday morning.
The victim of a fatal shark attack on South Australia’s Eyre Peninsula has been identified as 28-year-old Lance Appleby
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Police and locals have described the incident as a “tragedy” and expressed their sympathies to Lance’s family, friends and colleagues, reports the Australian Broadcasting Network.
Schumucker, a Streaky Bay local, spotted Lance’s destroyed surboard and a ruined set of ropes as it was bought back to shore. He said: “The board had a bite mark in the bottom and the rope was severed in half. It just hits everyone so hard, particularly the locals.”
Moving tributes have been paid to the surfer and footballer, with friends describing him as a “loved character” and a “bloody champion man”. Schmucker said: “Lance has lots of cousins, I’m personally close to these guys.
“I grew up next to his mum and my youngest daughter went to school with Lance in the same class all throughout their childhood in Streaky Bay. Every shark attack is tragic but this has hit the community right in the heart.”
Emergency crews found Lance’s shredded surfboard
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Lance was originally from South Australia’s west coast, and had come home to the Eyre Peninsula to spend Christmas with his family, locals said. He played Australian rules football for the Tweet Coast Tigers, a team based in northern New South Wales who compete in Queensland.
According to club president Andrew Ryan, Lance joined the team at the beginning of 2023 and was set to be named vice-captain in the coming season. “More importantly than his football skill was the fact that he was an all round good bloke – a bloody champion man,” he said. He added that despite missing six games, Lance still managed to be the equal qinner of the club’s best-and-fairest.
“Not only was he a massively important part of our back line with his playing attributes, his football brain and the knowledge he passed onto his teammates was second to none,” he added. “His teammates and the whole Tweed Coast Tigers community are completely devastated by his passing and pass on our condolences, love and prayers to his family.”
Witnesses say they saw Lance being attacked in the water
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Lance is also belived to have once played football for Marble Range FC, quickly becoming on of their star players. Rival team Wayback said of the athlete: “So tragic. Not a Waybacker but a highly respected opponent and player with the Marble Range FC and close friend of a number of our players and supporters.
“Our thoughts are with Lance’s family, friends, and the Marble Range FC and the wider Eyre Peninsula Community. RIP Lance Appleby.”
The company he appeared to work for, Allconstruct Interiors Pty Ltd, also wrote in a tribute: “RIP to great young talent Lance Appleby was a big part of Allconstruct team last year and quickly became friends. Devastating to hear the news today.”