Overview

• Surfer Brad Ross escaped unharmed after a shark bit and shattered his surfboard at Cabarita Beach on Monday morning.
• Surf Life Saving NSW and the Australian Lifeguard Service closed the unpatrolled beach and deployed UAV assets to monitor for further shark activity.
• A five-metre great white was caught and released by a SMART drumline near Norries Headland later that morning.
• NSW Police and the Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development have launched an investigation and are coordinating ongoing monitoring efforts.
• Viral surf-cam footage and social media posts, including reactions from Kelly Slater, drove heightened public awareness and safety warnings.