A 58-year-old fisherman, Paul Barring, went missing after being pulled into the ocean by a shark while participating in a fishing tournament off the coast of Newcastle, Australia. According to NSW Police Force Superintendent Joe McNulty, Barring became entangled in a line hooked onto a large mako shark during a tagging and release operation.
The shark was believed to be around 60-140 kilograms in weight. Despite three other men on the boat trying to rescue him, they were only able to pull the shark onboard, with no sign of Barring found. A search operation, which had been suspended overnight, resumed on Monday morning with emergency services alerted that a man had fallen overboard.
The New South Wales Game Fish Association released a statement describing the incident as “tragic” and denying reports that Barring was attacked by the shark after falling into the ocean. The association said their thoughts are with Barring’s family and the crew involved in the search efforts, thanking those who assisted in the rescue operation.
Source: https://people.com/fisherman-missing-after-hooking-shark-dragged-into-ocean-australia-11684983