New Caledonia shark mauling of Aussie tourist was caught on video

The beach where an Australian man was mauled to death by a shark in New Caledonia should never have reopened following another serious attack that happened just weeks ago, locals say.

The 59-year-old tourist was swimming near a crowded pontoon about 150 metres from shore at the Chateau-Royal beach, south of Nouméa, on Sunday afternoon at around 4pm when he was suddenly attacked.

Horrified onlookers said the shark attacked the man, biting him several times on his leg and arms.

The attack happened near a pontoon that was just metres away from a jetty where beach-goers had been jumping off.

The jetty is close by to a restaurant where guests and staff throw food into the water off a ‘viewing platform’ to feed fish – which often attracts sharks.

A jet-ski brought the man’s body back to shore where CPR was performed but sadly the man died at the scene.

The beach had only reopened on Thursday, following another shark encounter on January 29 that saw a 49-year-old local teacher lose her leg while swimming.

Less than a week after that, a shark charged at a foil surfer but the surfer managed to escape unharmed. 

The 59-year-old Australian tourist had been swimming near a pontoon beside a jetty at the Chateau-Royal beach, south of Nouméa, on Sunday afternoon where he was attacked. A restaurant behind the jetty allows staff and customers to feed fish and sharks

Footage of the attack shows splashing in the water before men patrolling on jet-skis were able to retrieve the man’s body

One Hotel Chateau Royal staff member said they were surprised to hear the beaches had reopened following the two recent attacks.

‘It was so scary, we’re all in a panic. One of my colleagues has a son who was in the sea at the time and we’re all phoning and texting our families and friends to check they’re okay,’ they told Daily Mail Australia.

‘They really shouldn’t have reopened the beach. It only opened last week after another attack. It’s so dangerous.’

The beach is seen just two days before the attack, with dozens of swimmers enjoying the crystal clear waters

Shocking footage taken of Sunday’s attack appears to show splashing in the water near the pontoon – just metres away from other swimmers.

Daily Mail Australia understands the man was an Australian tourist travelling alone.

He’d been staying in the nearby Le Meridien Hotel but is yet to be identified. 

One hotel guest who witnessed the horror unfold said a jet-ski raced out to the water after the shark alarm went off.

The jet-ski driver then returned to the shore where another beach patrol crew member jumped on the back and they retrieved the man’s body together.

After bringing the man’s body back to the sand, the patrol team desperately performed CPR before paramedics arrived.

Emergency crews are seen patrolling the water in Noumea

Patrol crew members and paramedics desperately performed CPR on the man but he couldn’t be saved

Tragically, the man was unable to be saved.

‘It happened so close to shore, the poor victim was face down in the water when the jet-ski got to him,’ the guest at the nearby Hotel Chateau Royal said.

‘There was blood everywhere, we could see it from the beach. So many people were in the water at the same time and they’d only reopened the beach a few days ago.’

Another Chateau worker said ‘something has to be done’, with locals on high alert following three shark attacks in the area in just three weeks.

‘Lots of us had family on the beach and in the sea so there was a big panic when it happened,’ they said.

The beach was evacuated immediately and has since been closed with tourists urged to stick to hotel pools instead.

One guest at the Chateau said they saw a crowd gathered around the victim after he was brought to shore.  

Police are seen at the scene of the fatal shark attack in Noumea 

The beach was evacuated immediately and has since been closed with tourists urged to stick to hotel pools instead

‘Loads of people were in the water at the time and it was very close to shore,’ they said.

‘Kitesurfers and windsurfers had been way further out to sea as well. I wondered why the beach had been so quiet earlier in the week as the water is idyllic but obviously the locals know to stay out. 

‘I wish someone had told us. We’d planned to go snorkelling today too.’

Authorities are now planning to cull all the tiger sharks and bull sharks in the area.

They reportedly killed five sharks after the last attack on January 29.

The Chateau Royal beach has been taped off while police boats patrol the water.