Morro Bay, California - A surfer was killed in an apparent great white shark attack off the central California coast on Friday, authorities said.

The incident occurred at the Morro Bay State Park beach before 11 AM, the Morro Bay Police Department said in a statement released on Twitter.

The man was unresponsive after he was pulled from the water "suffering from an apparent shark attack," the statement added.

The surfer was pronounced dead at the scene and has not been identified yet.

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The San Luis Obispo County Coroner's Office and state parks representatives were investigating the scene, police said Friday afternoon.

Area beaches will remain open but authorities have ordered people to stay out of the water for the next 24 hours, ABC News reported.

A surfer was last attacked and injured by a shark in the area in January 2019.