A witness at a popular Australian beach heard screams of “don’t bite me” as a father died in a horrific shark attack.
Mercury Psillakis, who was married with a young daughter, was identified as the victim.
“He was just a good bloke to everyone. I don’t think you’ll find anyone on this beach to have a bad word to say about him,” his friend Sean Pearce told 7NEWS, which described Psillakis as an “elite athlete” and businessman.
Witness Mark Morgenthal told Sky News Australia that the shark “was one of the biggest he had ever seen.”
“There was a guy screaming, ‘I don’t want to get bitten, I don’t want to get bitten, don’t bite me,’ and I saw the dorsal fin of the shark come up, and it was huge,” Morgenthal told the site.
🚨 Shark Attack Tragedy in Sydney
📍 Long Reef Beach, Northern Beaches, NSWA 57-year-old surfer, Mercury Psillakis, was killed in a rare shark attack just 100 m offshore
— Surfboard found split in half
— Emergency crews unable to save him#Sydney #放送局占拠 #SharkAttack pic.twitter.com/IcmaHXFrqg— GlobeUpdate (@Globupdate) September 6, 2025
“Then I saw the tail fin come up and start kicking, and the distance between the dorsal fin and the tail fin looked to be about four metres, so it actually looked like a six-metre shark,” he added.
Police Confirmed That the Victim Was Killed by a ‘Large Shark’ on the Northern Beaches of Australia
“A man has died on the Northern Beaches after being bitten by what is believed to have been a large shark,” a news release from Australian police says.
“Emergency services were called to Long Reef Beach shortly after 10 a.m. (Saturday 6 September 2025), responding to reports a man had suffered critical injuries,” the release continues.
“He was retrieved from the surf and brought to the shore; however, died at the scene,” the release added. “Officers attached to Northern Beaches Police Area Command have closed the beach and will liaise with experts from the Department of Primary Industries to determine the species of shark involved.”
Two Sections of Surfboard Were Recovered, Police Say
A man in his 50s has been killed after a rare shark attack in Long Beach, Sydney. Mercury Psillakis – an experienced surfer – was heard screaming “don’t bite me” moments before.
🔗 https://t.co/pMss7ltUkI pic.twitter.com/KOfPUwPziN
— Sky News (@SkyNews) September 6, 2025
According to the police, “Two sections of a surfboard have been recovered and taken for expert examination. Beaches between Manly to Narrabeen have been closed pending further advice.”
A man named Tim Smith wrote on Facebook, “Well, life keeps throwing curve balls. Mercury Psillakis is the nicest genuine man getting around. I’m lost for words. He was the guy I would hang with and surf with in Sydney, he glassed my boards and taught me alot about surfboards and more importantly just how to be a good person in and out of the water. Big love to all the family and friends of Merc. You are such a loved man throughout. See you again my old mate.”
The man, a father, lost “multiple limbs” in the shark attack, police Inspector Stuart Thomson said in a news conference, according to 7 News Australia.
“His (friends) managed to make it back to the beach safely and a short time later his body was found floating in the surf and a couple of other people went out and recovered it,” Thomson said. “Attempts to save his life were unsuccessful.”
