A shark has killed an Australian tourist near a crowded beach in the French Pacific territory of New Caledonia, local authorities say.
The 59-year-old man was swimming close to a pontoon about 150 metres from the beach in the capital Noumea on Sunday when the shark attacked, biting him several times, the AFP news agency reports, citing authorities.
The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade has been contacted by 9news.com.au for confirmation of the man’s death.
Local prosecutor Yves Dupas told AFP two people sailing their boat nearby rushed him back to the beach, where emergency services tried to save him.
The man had major bite wounds to a leg and both arms.
Despite receiving treatment, he died at the scene.
The sea off the Chateau-Royal beach, just south of the capital Noumea, was packed with people at the time of the incident.
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Police evacuated the beach after a mass rush from the waters to the beach.
Following the man’s death, authorities ordered the closure of most beaches in the area and the capture of bull sharks and tiger sharks in cages.
Drones were also deployed.
New Caledonia lies 1200km east of Australia.
According to the Florida Museum of Natural History, it is ranked 13th in the world for the total number of shark attacks.
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