The victim of a fatal shark attack off South Australia’s Yorke Peninsula on Thursday has been identified as 15-year-old Khai Cowley, a talented young surfer who is being remembered fondly by friends, family, and the surfing community.
Khai Cowley, who hailed from Maslin Beach in Adelaide’s south, tragically lost his life in a shark attack near Ethel Beach on Thursday afternoon. The incident sent shockwaves through the local surfing community and prompted an outpouring of tributes and condolences.
Surfing South Australia expressed its heartfelt sympathies to Khai’s family, stating, “We are devastated to learn that a young, talented, and dearly loved member of our surfing community was the surfer involved in the attack at Ethel Beach. [We] are absolutely shattered to hear the incident was fatal. We ask you to keep [the boy’s family] in your thoughts and respect their privacy as they navigate such a heartbreaking time.”
A GoFundMe page has been set up by Khai’s aunty to raise funds for funeral expenses. The page explains that the young surfer “was suddenly taken from us by a white pointer while surfing.”
Tributes and messages of support for Khai have flooded social media. One heartfelt post read, “Fly high… some of my most memorable surfs were with you.” Khai Cowley was also a member of the Microgroms Junior Surf Club, which released a tribute honouring him as a “good friend and talented surfer who was well respected and admired by all that knew him.
Marty Goody, a surfer and resident of Stansbury on Yorke Peninsula, shared his shock and condolences, noting that it’s a tight-knit surfing community where everyone knows each other. He learned that Khai was surfing with his family at the time of the attack and expressed the depth of the tragedy.
The South Australia Police responded to reports of a person being “seriously injured” around 1:30 pm and later confirmed that the body of a teenage boy had been recovered from the water. Authorities have initiated an investigation, and a report is being prepared for the coroner.
Ethel Beach is situated within the Dhilba Guuranda-Innes National Park, a popular destination for tourists, anglers, and surfers. The local community is grappling with the shock of this rare and devastating incident.
Marion Bay Ocean Safari owner Ryan Valente expressed his astonishment, stating, “It’s the stuff nightmares are made of,” and highlighting that even long-time residents couldn’t recall an event of this nature in their memories.
Luke Sykora, a nearby resident and surfer, echoed the sentiment, describing the incident as “tragic” and underlining its rarity. He stressed that he wouldn’t wish such an event upon anyone and emphasized the gravity of being at the same beach at the same time.
This unfortunate incident is the latest in a series of shark attacks in South Australia throughout the year, marking a stark change from previous years. While such clusters of attacks are more commonly associated with Western Australia and eastern states, they have recently become a concerning trend in South Australian waters.
