How is Maria Psillakis, Mercury's widow, responding to his death?

Maria Psillakis is fighting for increased surveillance and safety measures at Sydney beaches, including drones and drum lines, in the hope of preventing other families from experiencing the same heartbreak.

What is Maria Psillakis' young daughter asking about her father's death?

Maria's daughter keeps asking "why" this happened, and the grieving widow struggles to find the right words to explain the tragedy to her.

Home / Disasters and Accidents / Grieving Widow Fights for Shark Attack Surveillance to Prevent Tragedies

Grieving Widow Fights for Shark Attack Surveillance to Prevent Tragedies

Q: What happened to Mercury 'Merc' Psillakis?

Mercury 'Merc' Psillakis, a 57-year-old surfer, was killed by a 5-meter great white shark at Long Reef Beach near Dee Why, Sydney in September 2025.

13 Nov, 2025

•

Summary

Surfer killed by 5-meter great white shark just before patrol season
Widow demands more warnings, alarms, and surveillance to minimize risks
Daughter keeps asking "why" and widow struggles to find answers

Grieving Widow Fights for Shark Attack Surveillance to Prevent Tragedies

In September 2025, 57-year-old surfer Mercury 'Merc' Psillakis was killed by a 5-meter great white shark at Long Reef Beach near Dee Why, just days before the start of the patrol season. His widow, Maria Psillakis, is now speaking out, demanding more warnings, alarms, and surveillance to minimize the risks at Sydney's beaches.

Maria has many questions about the tragedy, including why there weren't more safety measures in place and why the shark alarm wasn't triggered until 45 minutes after the attack. She is determined to turn this devastating loss into positive change, in the hopes of preventing another family from experiencing the same heartbreak.