A suspected “large shark” mauled a surfer to death in a rare fatal attack off a Sydney beach on Saturday, Australian police and rescuers said, leading to a string of beach closures.

The man was pulled out of the Pacific surf onto shore at northern Sydney’s Long Reef Beach but died at the scene, New South Wales police said in a statement.

“A man has died on the Northern Beaches after being bitten by what is believed to have been a large shark,” police said.

Two sections of a surfboard were recovered and taken for examination, police said, adding that they were working with experts to identify the species of shark involved.

Images of the scene on local media showed police gathered on the shore and ambulances parked nearby.

The victim was bitten by the ocean predator while surfing in the

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