A DESPERATE search has been launched for the body of a surfer who went missing after being attacked by a shark.

Emergency services launched the hunt for the South Australian man just after 7pm on Thursday evening local time.

The experienced surfer, aged 28, was in the water off The Granites beach – on the state’s west coast and about 700km from Adelaide.

Police and emergency service crews are set to continue the search for the man’s body on Friday morning.

A local fisherman reported a great white shark in the area and told people on social media to stay away, the Daily Mail reports.

The beach has been closed to the public who have been urged to stay away.

A South Australia Police spokesperson said: “The man’s body is yet to be found and a air, land and water search will be conducted early this morning with resources from Police, SES and local volunteers assisting.”

A 55-year-old man died in October, 2023, from a shark attack in the same area and his body was not recovered.

Tod Gendle, 55, was killed by a four-metre great white shark while out surfing.

Fellow surfer Jeff Schmucker raced out on a jet ski to try to save Tod said he saw him pulled underwater by the beast.

The same year, teacher Simon Baccanello, 46, died in a suspected shark attack while surfing at Walkers Rock beach.

The attack comes just days after a pastor was killed while spear fishing on the Great Barrier Reef.

Luke Walford, a youth pastor, had been spearfishing with his family when he was mauled at 4.30pm local time on Saturday afternoon.

Walford was bitten in the neck and could not be saved by paramedics who gave him treatment.

He and his family had been in the water near Humpy Island in he Great Barrier Reef’s Keppel Bay Islands National Park when the attack happened.