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Police are amazed at the bravery of a young surfer who plunged into blood-clouded surf in a vain attempt to save his mate from a killer shark off northern NSW this morning.

The survivor, 16, has been treated for shock and released from a Ballina hospital after dragging his dying friend to shore moments after he was savaged off the town's Lighthouse Beach.

The mauled teenager, bitten on the legs and body, died on the beach from massive blood loss.

His friend told lifesavers the sea turned red after the attack by a large shark.

Detective Inspector Steve Clark said the teenagers, both from Wollongbar, west of Ballina, had taken advantage of a teacher stop-work meeting to go bodyboarding off Ballina's Lighthouse Beach when the shark struck about 8am.

"At that time one of them has left the water and gone to the shore, at which point he has looked back and seen his friend in distress,'' Detective Inspector Clark said.

"He has re-entered the water and started paddling out to his friend.''

As he paddled out, the boy saw a "large, dark shadow'' moving away from his friend.

"Despite seeing that, he's still gone to his friend, retrieved him, brought him back to the shore and attempted to revive him,'' Detective Inspector Clark said.

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Shark Attack

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shark attack , fatal , surfer , bodyboard