Harrowing new details emerge as a swimmer attacked by a shark during his morning dip fights for life

By NICK WILSON FOR DAILY MAIL AUSTRALIA

Published: 16:35 BST, 15 May 2025 | Updated: 16:44 BST, 15 May 2025

Shocked beachgoers have detailed the horrifying moment a man was attacked by a shark at a popular beach while swimming with his partner. 

Richard Vinall, aged in his 60s, was completing his regular morning swim at Port Noarlunga Beach, south of Adelaide on Thursday morning when he was bitten on the thigh.

He was treated at the scene and rushed to Flinders Medical Centre, where he remains in a critical but stable condition.

Witnesses said Mr Vinall’s partner had just returned from the water.

Tim Green was among a group of divers ordered to get out of the water after as emergency responders vehicles raced to the shoreline.

‘The woman had come back in, had heard her partner screaming and, as far as I know, either she went back out to help him or the surf life saving club came out,’ he told Nine News.

A group of students were among those evacuated from the beach.

Terrified beachgoers watched on as Mr Vinall was treated on the shoreline surrounded by a large white sheet.

Richard Vinall (pictured) was bitten at Port Noarlunga Beach on Thursday morning

Mr Vinall is in critical but stable condition at Flinders Medical Centre

Surf life savers and police spent much of the day searching for the shark from the air and on water. 

The South Australian Government’s shark sighting registry recorded two reported sightings of an unknown species of shark near the Port Noarlunga jetty at 9.49am and 10.03am. 

Scientists have raised suggestions whether recent toxic algal blooms across the South Australian coastline have caused sharks to swim closer to the shore. 

One local decided against a swim at Port Noarlunga on Wednesday after spotting unusually active marine life. 

‘I saw lots of sizeable salmon trout being caught off the Port [Noarlunga] jetty yesterday – a popular food source for sharks – so I decided against a swim,’ he wrote online.

‘Really hoping the guy bitten this morning is OK, along with his partner/friend who was swimming with him.’

A neighbour described Mr Vinall as ‘a good bloke and nice guy’. 

Dozens of emergency responders were called to the scene where they administered treatment to the injured swimmer

 Port Noarlunga, located about 40 minutes south of Adelaide, is a popular destination for swimmers, divers and snorkellers.

It’s the same spot where Bridgette O’Shannessy was critically injured when she was bitten by a shark while diving with her partner two years ago. 

She survived the attack but was left with significant nerve damage.

Emergency crews treated the man at the scene as shocked beachgoers watched  on

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Harrowing new details emerge as a swimmer attacked by a shark during his morning dip fights for life

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