WARNING: DISTRESSING CONTENT
A large great white shark seen “thrashing” in the surf on Monday morning has died on a northern NSW beach.
The approximately 4m female shark was first seen “in distress” from the beach at Kingscliff about 6am.
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WATCH THE VIDEO ABOVE: Distressing scenes as shark dies on Kingscliff beach.
Local Suzy Martin saw what she initially believed to be a dolphin from a beachside cafe, before realising it was a shark when she went down to the beach for a closer look.
She told 7NEWS.com.au it became quickly obvious that the shark was “in distress” when it was “thrashing around” and “rolling in the surf”.
“It was clearly struggling … It wasn’t well at all,” she said.
The shark beached itself some time later, as bystanders gathered at the scene. Authorities had been notified of the shark by this time.
The shark could not be saved.
“Sadly, the shark was in a poor condition after beaching and the Sea World veterinary team administered drugs to make it comfortable before it passed away,” Sea World, which sent a rescue team to the scene, said in a statement.
“The shark appeared to have underlying health issues with the thrashing behaviour seen in the shallows prior to the beaching not normal for the species.
“While there were no unusual marks on the shark, the NSW Department of Fisheries will conduct a necropsy to try and identify a cause for the beaching.”
Wildlife officials used a front-end loader to remove it from the beach about 9am.
Martin said there were “no obvious signs” as to why the shark was in distress.
She said in her three years living at Kingscliff, she had not previously seen a shark become beached.
7NEWS.com.au is attempting to determine how long it took authorities to respond to reports of the shark at the beach.
The NSW fisheries department has been contacted for comment.