A shark hunt is underway off Australia’s east coast after a father was killed in a “freak” attack at a Sydney beach.

The 57-year-old man, who leaves behind a wife and young daughter, died a day before Father's Day is celebrated in Australia.

The male victim was pulled from the water by other surfers, but had lost too much blood and died at the scene, said Police Superintendent John Duncan.

A surfer is dead after a weekend shark attack off Sydney, Australia. The attack happened at Long Reef Beach on the morning of Saturday, September 6th.

A controversial trial to remove shark nets from Sydney beaches this year could still go ahead despite a fatal attack that killed a hero local surfer.

A man in his 50s has died after a shark attack near Sydney, Australia. Emergency crews responded to Long Reef Beach on Saturday morning after reports of critical injuries.

Mercury Psillakis's twin brother Mike paid tribute, saying his family's loss "is the hardest moment" of his life.

The surfer, who had a wife and young daughter, lost "a number of limbs" and his surfboard was broken in two, police said.

A frantic effort has been underway to find and identify the species and size of a shark after it claimed the life of Mercury Psillakis , 57, in a morning surf at Long Reef Beach. Psillakis, suffered fatal injuries in the attack on Saturday.

A childhood friend has described the "heroic" final act of a surfer who steered his friends to safety before being mauled by a shark at Sydney's Northern Beaches on Saturday.