Update 9 September
The family of Mercury Psillakis has made a statement, as follows:
“It is with profound sadness that we confirm the tragic loss of Mercury Psillakis, a loving, devoted and ridiculously fun husband, father, son, brother and loyal friend who passed away following a shark attack at Dee Why on Saturday.
This is a statement that is so hard to write, as there are no words that can describe the amazing, humourous and beautiful man he is — everyone felt it. There is so much more to say, but it is impossible to describe him with justice in a statement.
Merc is deeply loved by everyone who knows him. He was Maria’s soulmate, our best friend and the most loving father to Freedom, his daughter who he is so proud of. Their bond was extraordinary and he always placed his family above everything else. His family meant the world to him.
Merc was impossible not to love — his energy was extraordinary and magnetic, his spirit full of fun and he created joy and happiness in every interaction he touched. When he was interested in something, he became completely devoted, excelling in it with passion and focus. He had many hobbies — earning a black belt in Taekwondo, travelling far and wide for surfing and spending endless time with his family, making sure they always felt valued and loved. Merc also had a great passion for rare palms, earning him the nickname “The Germinator” — other members of the palm community would jokingly say he could even germinate a rock — a nod to his extraordinary ability to bring life from even the most unlikely seed.
He surfed every day and loved the ocean — it was one of his greatest passions. He was also deeply connected to the surfing community, which has been so kindly supporting us and sharing in this heartbreaking loss.
On Saturday, Merc saved his friends in the surf, warning them of the shark nearby. He was aware of the risks of the ocean and while he loved surfing, he was always vigilant about keeping himself safe. Unfortunately, this was a tragic and unavoidable accident. The men who were selfless and courageous by getting Merc out of the surf – we are forever grateful and pray that you get the support you need. We also want to thank the Life Saving Club, Emergency Services and police that have provided invaluable guidance and support during this time – your support will never be forgotten.
Merc is and will always be a hero, a loving and devoted husband, father and family man who could bring humour to every situation. We are devastated by this loss, but will forever carry his spirit, energy and joy in our hearts.
At this time, we ask for privacy as our family grieves this unimaginable loss.
This will be the only statement that the family will be releasing.
Thank you to everyone who provided support at the scene on Saturday and thereafter, we have felt a lot of love during this very difficult time.”
Maria, Freedom and family.
8 September 2025
The Northern Beaches community is mourning the loss of well-known and much-loved Long Reef surfer Mercury Psillakis, who died on 6 September after being bitten by a shark in Dee Why.
Emergency services were called to Long Reef Beach shortly after 10am, responding to reports a man had suffered critical injuries.
Mr Psillakis, an experienced surfer, had been surfing with a group to the north of the lifeguard tower toward Long Reef, away from the patrolled area.
He was retrieved from the surf and brought to the shore; however, died at the scene.
Mr Psillakis is survived by his wife Maria and daughter Freedom.
Two sections of a surfboard were recovered and taken for expert examination, and it was determined the shark responsible may have been a white shark 3.4 to 3.6 metres in length.
The Northern Beaches Council released a statement following the tragic event.
“There has been a tragic loss of life on one of our beaches, and our deepest condolences today are with the man’s family and friends. Thank you to the many involved in the incident for their swift and professional response, including members of the public on the beach, the first responders, Lifeguards, SLS volunteers, Police and paramedics.”
Mercury was described as ‘passionate, caring, loyal, a loving husband, father, son, brother and friend to everyone’ in a Longy Boardriders Facebook post.
“This is something that will have such a massive effect on our community and the wider community. Please give lots of love and support to the extended Psillakis family. We lost our treasured friend and we will never forget you,” Antio Sas Agapame wrote.
Surf Life Saving NSW CEO Steve Pearce said: “Our deepest condolences go to the family of the man involved in this terrible tragedy. Volunteers will continue to assist Council and authorities to protect the public from further danger in any way we can.”
Shark nets were installed on NSW beaches on 1 September. The NSW Government trial to have three beaches go net-free this season, which included one beach on the Northern Beaches, has been put on hold.
Dee Why and Long Reef beaches remain closed until further notice.