Beloved 15-Year-Old Surfer Khai Cowley Passes From Fatal Shark Attack In South Australia
You can donate to the Cowley family’s GoFundMe here:
Support the Cowley family during these tragic times by making a donation HERE:
Yesterday, at 1:30 pm, the South Australian police received notice that a teenage victim was ‘seriously injured’ in a shark attack near Ethek Beach — part of SA’s remote coastline. According to reports, the teenage boy was brought to shore, but medics were unable to revive him due to the severity of the leg injury.
Fifteen-year-old Khai Cowley was identified by his father, who witnessed the attack after taking his son surfing four hours from their home in Seaford, SA. According to sources, this is South Australia’s third fatal shark attack since May.
In the wake of the tragedy, Surfing South Australia issued a statement saying:
After the devastating news that one of our Grom surfers, Khai, was involved in a fatal incident at Ethel Beach on December 28th we have been keeping Khai’s family and friends in our thoughts. Khai was very involved in our surfing community with his passion for surfing stemming from a family with deep surfing roots in SA. He was a happy, kind and respectful kid, very much loved by his surfing peers and he will be greatly missed out in our community and on the water.
The Seaview Road Boardriders Club, which Khai was a treasured member of, also stated:
We write this in disbelief and devastation at the loss of our grom Khai. We send our love to Kate, Tim and younger brother Jett. Khai is a 3rd generation Roader with his grandfather Pete Barley leading the way, and his uncle Adam guiding him over the years. All three took out awards at the Southern Surf Festival in a special moment for their family and for Roaders.
Khai surfed his last rally at the Roaders single fin memorial, shining on the day and as always offering a helping hand.He was a true club man, a Roader through and through and the club was proud to award him the outstanding grom performer award for 2023. He was a standout. He helped the little groms, made their trainings fun and they all looked up to him.
Khai was one of our top groms and was due to represent the club at the Boardriders Battle in March. We will surf this for you Khai with all our heart and soul.You will live on in our hearts and memories, once a Roader always a Roader. Represent the skull and cross bones up there grom. We will all miss you so much and will keep on shredding for you.
Our thoughts are with the Cowley family and South Australia’s surf community. You can donate to Khai’s GoFundMe HERE to help with the funeral costs.
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