A man died Sunday after being attacked by a white shark while surfing on a beach in south-eastern Australia, police said.

The 60-year-old victim perished from wounds to one of his legs caused by a bite from the shark, which witnesses say is about 3 meters long.

Other surfers helped the wounded man chase the shark off the shore of Kingscliff Beach in northern New South Wales.

The emergency medical services assisted the victim, but he eventually perished before being transferred to a hospital. Authorities proceeded to close the beach for at least 24 hours after sighting the shark still in the area.

The third death from a shark attack in Australia so far this year

This is the third death from a shark attack in Australia so far this year. In 2019, up to 27 attacks against people were counted, although nobody lost their lives.

According to studies by the government scientific agency CSIRO in early 2018, Australia has some 2,210 adult white shark specimens, considered to be the most dangerous.