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Tragedy has struck Streaky Bay once again. Two women died while fishing near the South Australian town – the same area where multiple surfers have been claimed by shark attacks in recent years.
The ordeal began Tuesday morning, when two women, aged 65 and 67, went missing at Back Beach on South Australia’s Eyre Peninsula. Police received reports they were swept out to sea while “walking in the shallows,” and later, Streaky Bay mayor Travis Barber clarified that the women were salmon fishing.
Emergency services were called around 11:15 a.m., as ABC reports. A surfer pulled one of the women out of the water and attempted to revive her, to no avail. The second woman’s body was recovered later.
‘”It is another tragic blow for our community of Streaky Bay and my condolences go out to the family and friends at this very tough time,” said Barber.
“My thoughts and thanks also go out to the volunteers and first responders that have had to deal with yet another tragic incident of which would be very close to home for many of them, as it does when you live in a small close-knit community. We will rally around them and pull together again.”
This is not the first time Streaky Bay has been the site of an untimely death. Earlier this year, 28-year-old surfer Lance Appleby disappeared following a shark attack at Granites. After a four-day search, emergency services eventually called off the effort, still not having recovered his body. In October 2023, another surfer, Tod Gendle, was also killed by a shark in the area.
