A 60 year-old surfer was killed by a great white shark on Sunday in Australia as onlookers looked on in shock.

Officials with the surf rescue group Surf Life Saving New South Wales said that the incident occurred at around 10:20 a.m. local time at Salt Beach in Kingscliff, located about 500 miles north of Sydney.

“The man received a bite to the back of his thigh and, despite the best efforts of nearby surfers and bystanders who fought off the shark and got the man to the shore and rendered first aid, the man died on the beach,” the group said in a statement, according to Fox News.

The man’s name has not yet been released, with officials only saying that he was from Tugun, just over the state border in Queensland.

“A shark biologist assessed photographs and confirmed a white shark was responsible for the fatal attack,” said the state’s Department of Primary Industries.

NWS Ambulance Inspector Terence Savage added that this was a “dreadful” situation for everyone involved.

“When you get a call to attend a shark attack, you never really know the full extent of the damage until you get on scene,” he said.

“They did everything they could to try and save his life, but despite their best efforts, were unable to do so.”

Surf Life Saving NWS told reporters that it sent out multiple Jet Skis, a drone, and helicopter assets to help spot and identify the shark that carried out the attack and to clear the beach of any other surfers and swimmers.

All other beaches will now be closed for the next 24 hours.

NSW Police told The Sydney Morning Herald that while permission was granted to kill the shark, the creature disappeared from the area within hours of the attack.

“Due to concerns that the shark had to be fought off by other board-riders, and that it remained in the vicinity for several hours after the attack, police were granted permission to destroy the shark,” NSW Police said. 

“Police and local rescue helicopter crews monitored the area for some hours; however, the shark left the vicinity about 1:15 p.m. and has not been seen since. No police firearm was discharged.”

Kingscliff resident Stuart Gonsal said he had just gotten to the beach when he heard about the attack.

“We came down and we hadn’t got in the water and police were immediately hauling people in,” Gonsal said.

“We found out there was a fatal shark attack on the south side of the rock wall. We were going to get in, we’re not going to now for sure.”