Surfer Knocked from Board by Shark at East Ballina Beach

On January 29, 2026, at approximately 11:00 AM, a shark encounter occurred at Angels Beach in East Ballina, New South Wales, affecting a male surfer in the water. The incident took place in the Coral Sea near Skennars Head, an area with a documented history of shark activity along the NSW North Coast. The surfer was actively surfing when the shark made contact with both him and his surfboard, resulting in him being forcefully displaced from his board. The encounter was classified as unprovoked. Notably, despite the physical contact and the force of the interaction, the surfer sustained no physical injuries during the incident. Following the shark encounter, the surfer was able to exit the water safely. Emergency response protocols were immediately activated, and authorities evacuated and closed Angels Beach to the public as a precautionary measure to prevent further incidents and ensure the safety of other beachgoers in the area. The shark species involved in the incident could not be definitively identified from available reports. This incident contributes to the ongoing documentation of shark activity in the Ballina region, where such encounters have prompted authorities to maintain heightened monitoring and swift response capabilities. The non-fatal outcome of this encounter reflects both the fortunate circumstances of the interaction and the effectiveness of rapid emergency response in the area.