The surfing community in Australia is in mourning after the tragic death of Khai Cowley, a young surfer who was only 15 years oldvictim of a white shark attack.
Khai, recognized as a promise in sport, He lost his life while practicing with his father in the waves of Ethe Beach, located in Innes National Park, on the Yorke Peninsula. The fateful event occurred on December 28, 2023, and has shocked not only the sports community but also the entire nation.
(Also read: These are the most dangerous cities in the world: there are two in Colombia, according to ranking).
The incident occurred when Khai was training on the beach, a place known for its beauty and challenging waves. A great white shark, approximately four meters in length, attacked him causing a fatal wound to his leg.
Despite desperate rescue efforts, including the intervention of Tim Philip, a tourist who witnessed the attack and helped drag the young man's body to shore, Khai did not survive.
“I made the decision to run back. I grabbed him and managed to drag him back to shore. I didn't want to see his body in the sea, so I did what I could,” Philip told '7 News'.
They mourn the death of a promising young surfer
Khai Cowley, just 15 years old and a great surfing promise, lost his life after being attacked by a great white shark in Australia.
The teenager bled to death after the shark tore off his leg.#ElMitotero pic.twitter.com/u36m5E9TjJ
— El Mitotero (@elmitoteromx) January 5, 2024
(Keep reading: Man is rescued after being shipwrecked for 23 hours at sea: the reflection of his watch saved him).
Moving tribute from the Surf club
The tragedy has had a profound impact on the surfing community. Seaview Road Boardridersthe club to which Khai belonged, issued an emotional statement reflecting the pain and disbelief at the loss of their young member.
“We write this in disbelief and devastated by the loss of our Khai,” said the statement, which was distributed accompanied by images of the surfer on social networks.
“He was one of our best friends and had to represent the club at the Battle of the Bardriders in March. “We are going to surf for you, Khai, with all our heart and soul,” they expressed from the club.
(Of interest: A 5.6 magnitude earthquake shook the waters west of Tonga, in the South Pacific).
The statement also extended condolences to Khai's family, highlighting the young man's deep connection to surfing and his family legacy in the sport.
“We send our love to Kate, Tim and his little brother, Jett. Khai was a third generation Roader, with his grandfather Pete Barley leading the way and his uncle Adam guiding him through the years,” they shared from Seaview Road Boardriders. “All three won awards at the Southern Surf Festival, in a special moment for their family and for the Roaders,” they added, and concluded with a moving message: “You will live in our hearts and memories.”
This unfortunate event marks the second fatal shark attack in the region in 2023, recalling a similar incident in May on Walkers Rocks beach on the Eyre Peninsula.
The surfing community, now scarred by this tragic event, remembers Khai Cowley as a “brave spirit”whose passion for surfing and promising future will be deeply missed.
More news in EL TIEMPO
Venice to ban large tour groups and loudspeakers: why?
The most shocking photos left by humanitarian crises in the world in 2023
Photos: Kiritimati Island, New Zealand and Australia, the first to receive 2024
*This content was rewritten with the assistance of artificial intelligence, based on information from La Nación, and was reviewed by a journalist and an editor.
#Mourning #surfing #15yearold #promise #died #attacked #white #shark
