A father’s final moments were marked by bravery at Sydney’s Dee Why beach when a massive shark attacked him as he tried to protect his surfing companions.

Mercury Psillakis, 57, spotted the five-metre shark about 100 metres off the shore and was urging his friends to stay close together for safety just before the predator suddenly breached and struck him, according to eyewitnesses who spoke to the Daily Telegraph.

“He was at the back of the pack still trying to get everyone together when the shark just lined him up,” friend and former pro-surfer Toby Martin said.

“It came straight from behind and breached and dropped straight on him. It’s the worst-case scenario.

“They normally come from the side but this one came straight from behind, breached and dropped on him. It was so quick.”

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