A Japanese surfer died Monday in eastern Australia after a shark ripped both his legs off, according to local reports.

Tadashi Nakahara, 41, was paddling his board off Shelly Beach, near the town of Ballina on the north coast of New South Wales, when the shark attacked around 10 a.m., taking the man's legs as well as a chunk of the board, the Sydney Morning Heraldreports.

Police haven't confirmed the nature of the injuries.

Some bystanders pulled Nakahara from the water but couldn't stop the "massive loss of blood," Australia's ABC Newsreports. He was pronounced dead at the scene.

Nakahara was a Japanese national who'd been living in Australia for about a year and was working for a surfboard distributor.

Crews are now scouring the coast for the animal, which they believe to be a great white.

It's the second shark attack in the area in as many days. A shark bit a man Sunday off Seven Mile Beach, about 20 km away from Shelly Beach.