Family of Sydney surfer killed in suspected shark attack speak out as fresh sighting clears beaches

The family of a 57-year-old Northern Beaches surfer who was fatally attacked off Long Reef over the weekend has publicly thanked lifeguards and paid tribute to the man as authorities continued efforts to identify the shark and searched nearby coastline after a fresh sighting cleared city beaches.

Mercury Psillakis died while surfing with friends off Long Reef, near Dee Why, on Saturday morning. Lifeguards and emergency services responded to the scene; two lifeguards carried him to shore, and police said no attempt to resuscitate was made because he had sustained fatal injuries.

On Monday, lifeguards cleared nearby Manly Beach and pulled swimmers onto rescue jetskis after the sighting of a large shark in the water prompted another evacuation. Police and surf lifesaving crews said helicopter, vessel and aerial searches have been carried out across sections of the northern coastline.

Speaking on social media, Ms. Eleni Psillakis, the victim's sister, described the family's sorrow and expressed gratitude to the lifeguards who cared for her brother and helped create a memorial at the spot where he died. "To lifeguard Dave and all his fellow lifeguards, please look after yourselves as you continue to look after others," she wrote. "Thank you for your care of my brother Mercury. You don't know how much each act of kindness helps."

Friends and members of the Long Reef surf community described Psillakis as a fixture of the local scene. Toby Martin, a former professional surfer and close friend, said Psillakis acted to protect others in the water in his final moments. "He was at the back of the pack still trying to get everyone together when the shark just lined him up," Martin told reporters. "It came straight from behind and breached and dropped straight on him. It's the worst-case scenario."

The Long Reef Boardriders Association released a statement noting the family's long connection to the area and describing Psillakis as a generous and encouraging presence who had surfed the break since boyhood. Mourners have left flowers and messages at the beach, and the Dee Why Surf Club has made counselling available to those affected.

Police said officers attached to the Northern Beaches Police Area Command are working with the New South Wales Department of Primary Industries to determine the species of shark involved. Authorities said a tagged great white shark was detected at a listening station at North Narrabeen a few hours before the attack, and that two sections of a surfboard recovered from the scene have been taken for expert examination.

Search operations have focused on a roughly 5-kilometre stretch of coastline north and south of the incident. Lifeguards and police advised the public to obey beach closures and follow safety directions while investigations continue. Dee Why Beach is protected by shark nets, but Long Reef does not have nets in place; officials noted the distinction as part of public safety briefings.

Shark attack fatalities are rare in New South Wales. The state recorded its last fatal shark attack in 2022, when a diver was killed at Little Bay in Sydney, according to police records. Authorities said they will rely on forensic analysis and expert assessment to confirm the species and circumstances of the Long Reef incident.

Local residents and surf club members described a community in shock. Long-time local Peter McEntyre recalled seeing the Psillakis twins as teenagers racing to the surf and said the loss was a devastating blow to the tight-knit surf community. "Of all the millions of people that go surfing how unlucky to have become a victim," he said.

Psillakis's twin brother, Mike, runs Psillakis Surfboards in Brookvale. Friends said Mercury — sometimes called Merc — was an outstanding junior competitor and former club champion who had travelled internationally chasing waves but remained deeply rooted in the Northern Beaches community. A scheduled paddle-out that Psillakis had organised for a friend who died earlier this year was among the remembrances noted by peers.

Authorities urged anyone with information about the incident or the condition of the water that morning to contact Northern Beaches police. The Department of Primary Industries and police said they would provide updates as forensic and tracking data are analysed.

The incident has renewed public attention on interactions between people and large marine predators and on monitoring systems such as tagging and listening stations used to detect the presence of sharks near popular beaches. Officials reiterated that such systems are tools to manage risk and that investigations are required to determine the specific circumstances of any attack.