Pieces of wetsuit found in search of missing surfer after shark attack in Western Australia

Two pieces of wetsuit were found in the water hours after a shark pulled a surfer off his surfboard, crushing hopes that they could still find him alive.

Andrew Sharpe was surfing around 10:45 a.m. Friday on the Kelp Beds beach near Esperance, Western Australia, when a shark bit him on the leg.

The 52-year-old fell from his board in the attack.

As his friends were paddling to save him, they allegedly saw the shark return and throw Sharpe underwater.

A surfboard with bite marks then washed ashore, but there has been no sign of Sharpe.

Police revealed on Saturday that they believe the rescue mission was now a recovery mission, after rescuers found pieces of wetsuit in the water.

“Unfortunately, we have no hope of Mr. Sharpe’s survival,” Sergeant Major Justin Tarasinski told reporters.

“We have located two pieces of your wetsuit or a wetsuit believed to belong to Mr. Sharpe … not far from his last known position.

“They have been seized and will undergo forensic testing.”

It is the fifth incident in the area in seven years. A teenage girl was murdered in the same place three years ago.

Locals said the shark-infested waters were “too dangerous” for surfers.

“Sharks always prowl these waters in Esperance for years and decades. We don’t swim in these waters too far from the shallow waters,” Denise Colbung said.

Tarasinski said that up to eight surfers were in the water at the time of the attack.

“The surfboard came close to where the attack occurred and with obvious signs of a shark attack,” he told reporters on Friday.

“The chances of survival are obviously pretty slim considering some of the accounts that have been provided to us.”

Prime Minister Mark McGowan described it as a “very sad and potentially tragic” situation.

Shire of Esperance President Ian Mickel said the community was saddened by the tragedy.

“It is extremely sad to hear that there has been a shark attack again,” he said.

“We’ve had a lot of seizures in the last seven years. It’s really, really disappointing.”

– With NCA NewsWire