A professional fisherman became lost at sea Sunday afternoon during a fishing competition in shark-infested southeast Australian waters and has yet to be recovered.
Paul Barning “was tragically lost at sea in the most unlikely of circumstances whilst fishing on his boat Dark Horse off Port Stephens on Sunday,” the New South Wales Game Fishing Association (NSWGFA) said through its president, Steve Lamond. Barning had been participating in the NSWGFA Interclub tournament.
Barning, 58, became lost at sea approximately 34 miles offshore at around 1 p.m. local time during the competition, Australia’s 9News reported.
“The fishing boat at the time was retrieving a mako shark — which is quite a large shark in those offshore waters — and we believe during that maneuver of the fishing craft and the shark being brought alongside, the man has become entangled in the fishing gear and…
