Swimmer mauled to death by Great White Shark in front of hundreds of tourists on New Zealand beach as armed police opened fire on the animal at least 20 times



Adam Strange, 46, attacked at Muriwai beach near Auckland today

Shark up to 14ft long pulled him under the water



More sharks drawn to the attack as police fired shots in rescue attempt

Shark attack: Adam Strange was attacked at Muriwai Beach on Aucklands west coast of New Zealand

Police fired 20 shots at a great white shark as they tried desperately to save a father killed while swimming off a beach yesterday.

Adam Strange, 46, an award-winning film and TV director, waved and called for help as the shark dragged him underwater only 200 yards from hundreds of beachgoers.

Police and lifeguards launched a frantic rescue effort as about four other sharks joined in the attack off Muriwai Beach, north of Auckland, at around 1.30pm.

The father of one lived locally and was known to the traumatised young lifeguards who joined the fight to save him.

Pio Mose was in a group fishing on rocks near the beach when he saw a ‘huge’ shark attack the lone swimmer 50 yards from where he was standing.

‘All of a sudden we saw the shark fin and next minute, boom, attack him and then blood everywhere on the water,’ said Mr Mose.

He said the man appeared to struggle with the shark before it swam away – and then it, and others, came back.

Mr Mose called the police on his mobile while a friend ran for help.

He said: ‘He was still alive. He put his head up. We called him to swim over the rock to where we were.

‘He raised his hand up and then while he was raising his hand we saw another attack pull him in.’



Mr Mose said that as blood filled the water, three or four more sharks arrived. The fishermen were forced to watch as the shark carried the man’s body out to sea.

‘It’s awful – like a nightmare. I was shaking, scared, panicked.’

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Police in inflatable rubber boats shoot at a shark off Muriwai Beach in New Zealand as they attempt to retrieve a body following a fatal shark attack

At least three sharks are believed to have been involved in the attack

Mr Mose, who said he had never seen sharks before despite fishing in the area for three years, added: ‘All I was thinking was I wanted to jump in the water and help, but I didn’t want to get attacked, too.’

Police rushed to the scene and officers in a helicopter guided another on board a rubber boat to where the 12ft to 14ft shark was swimming near the victim.

He then fired around 20 shots into the water, witnesses said. It was unclear if the shark had been killed. Inspector Shawn Rutene said he could not confirm whether the shark that was shot, and which ‘rolled away’ as a result, was involved in the initial attack.

Predator: It is thought Mr Strange was attacked by a great white shark

He refused to say if it was attacking Mr Strange at the time. Police took 30 more minutes to retrieve his body.

Adventure lover Mr Strange had worked all over the world, according to his website. His short film Aphrodite’s Farm was in ten major festivals and last year won the Crystal Bear award for best short film at the Berlin Film Festival.

He had also been a finalist at the London International Awards.

His wife Meg was last night being comforted at their home, not far from the beach.

His family, some of whom live overseas, said in a statement Mr Strange was a ‘glorious’ person, a ‘great father, husband and friend.’

Grief: There were emotional scenes at Muriwai Surf Lifesaving Club after the fatal attack

Volunteer lifeguard service chairman Tony Jago said the victim's family was 'very upset', left, after police spoke to media about the attack, right



Scene: Muriwai beach was closed in the wake of the attack on Wednesday

Police said the swimmer was about 200 metres from shore when he was attacked The great white: Attacks on humans are often cases of mistaken identity