Teen surfer dies after he’s mauled by shark in front of his dad in Australia

A 15-year-old boy was mauled to death by a shark in front of his horrified father as the pair surfed in Australia on Thursday.

Khai Cowley, who has since been described as a “talented” surfer by loved ones, was pulled from the water near Ethel Beach in the Innes National Park after his leg had been bitten off by what was believed to be a great white shark.

“I started moving down toward the beach and I could see the dad on the rocks sort of yelling and his son swimming towards him,” local surfer Tim Philip told 7News.

Philip estimated the shark to be about 13 feet long.

“Then it started to head back out to sea. I was in waist-deep water and just made the decision to run back … chest deep at this point, grab him and managed to drag him back to shore, back to the people on the beach.

“It was just a matter of … I didn’t want to see his body out to sea, so did what I could.”

Paramedics rushed to treat Cowley’s injuries, but were ultimately unable to save him.

Ethel Beach, a popular yet remote tourist spot, is located off the Yorke Peninsula in southern Australia.

The boy had been on vacation with his family before he was attacked by the sea predator, according to 7News.

Loved ones have since flooded social media with tributes to the teen after his death.

“A boy with so much potential. He will hold a place in everyone’s heart,” a family friend wrote on social media, according to Sky News Australia.

Locals have since spoken out about the dangers of wildlife in the area, with one local fisherman saying that sharks are a common sight along Marion Bay.

“We’ve seen some pretty big bronzies in the area, but that’s normal here,” he told the local publication. “I went to take the boat out and the road to Ethel’s was blocked by rangers.”

“There’s no cell reception out there in the park so we didn’t know what had happened until we got back to Marion Bay,” he added.

Just two weeks before his tragic death, Cowley — who boasted a 146th ranking of under-18 surfers in the country — was named “most outstanding grom performer” by his local Seaview Road Board Riders surf club.

“Grom” or “grommet” is a term for young surfers under the age of 18.

Surfing South Australia paid tribute to the boy on Thursday in an Instagram post.

“We are devastated to learn that a young, talented, and dearly loved member of our surfing community, was the surfer involved in the attack at Ethel Beach, and are absolutely shattered to hear that the incident was fatal.”

“Our utmost deepest sympathies are with his family,” the statement continued. “We ask that you keep them in your thoughts and respect their privacy as they navigate such a heartbreaking time.”

The attack follows a string of similar incidents in Australian waters in recent months.

In November, surfer Tod Gendle was killed by a shark near Streaky Bay — just north of Marion Bay.

The 55-year-old was paddling in the water with a group of surfers when he was knocked off of his surfboard by a shark, which then “thrashed him about and took him under.”

And in October, Pam Cook was left with leg injuries when she was attacked by a shark while swimming near the jetty at Beachport.

Australia has more shark attacks than any other country — except the US, according to the International Shark Attack File (ISAF).