Emergency crews are searching for the body of a man believed to be the victim of a fatal shark attack in South Australia.

A 28-year-old man from Port Lincoln was attacked by a shark just after 7pm on Thursday while surfing near Granites beach, south of Streaky Bay on the Eyre Peninsula, according to witnesses.

Police immediately responded and began a search, alongside the State Emergency Service and local volunteers, but the man’s body is yet to be found.

An air, land and water search resumed early Friday morning. The beach remains closed to the public, and the community is urged to avoid the area.

The popular surf location is about 700km north-west of Adelaide.

In 2023 a teacher, Simon Baccanello, 46, died in a suspected shark attack while surfing at Walkers Rock beach, and 55-year-old Tod Gendle was killed while surfing at Granites beach. Neither of their bodies were recovered.

In the same year, 15-year-old Khai Cowley was mauled by a suspected great white while surfing off the remote Ethel beach on the Yorke Peninsula.