A man killed by a long shark at Muriwai Beach in New Zealand

Muriwai Beach near Auckland has been closed after a long shark killed a swimmer on Wednesday (February 27, 2013). Other beaches nearby have been also closed until further notice. The attack took place around 13:30 (00:30 GMT) when the 47-year-old man was swimming, about 200 meters (650 feet) offshore. Police went out in inflatable surf-lifesaving boats and shot at the shark before it disappeared. The creature is estimated to be 12 to 14 feet long. This is the latest attack since the shark fatality took place in the Bay of Plenty, south-east of Auckland in 1976. Please visit Topsy for more news on shark attacks.