Eight months after a 58-year-old father was pulled into the Pacific Ocean by a shark during a fishing competition off the coast of Australia, the local coroner is sharing details about his final moments.

On Sunday, Feb. 23, Paul Barning was competing in the New South Wales Game Fishing Association (NSWGFA) Interclub State Championships tournament at Port Stephens, the Coroner’s Court of New South Wales, Lidcombe, said in a recent report.

Early that morning, he set off on his boat with longtime friend Bradley Elphinstone, his friend’s son, Reece Elphinstone, and another man named Ryan Hope.

By around 12:40 p.m. local time, Hope caught a large Mako shark weighing more than 400 lbs.

As Hope began to reel in the large catch, Barning stood at his left, with Reece standing slightly behind him to assist. Bradley, who was at the helm, started the engine to follow the shark as the process continued.

When the shark was just below the water’s surface, Hope stepped back, while Reece moved closer to assist Barning, who took hold of the trace line. Barning wrapped the line around each hand at least once before commencing a “tug-of-war game” to bring the shark on the boat.

“However, the shark moved quickly into deeper water pulling the line away from Paul and Ryan,” wrote Deputy State Coroner Derek Lee, noting that Barning’s hands were still entwined in the trace line.

“As Paul’s hands were entwined in the trace line, he was heard to yell words to the effect of, “Oh no”, as he was pulled to the edge of the boat,” the coroner wrote.

When his legs hit the side of the boat, he flipped 180 degrees over the edge of the boat and was pulled into the water.  Bradley immediately put the boat in neutral and the men began looking for their fellow crew member, officials said.

“Ryan began reeling the shark back in believing that Paul may still be attached to the trace line,” the coroner said. “After approximately 10 minutes, the shark was pulled close to the surface but there was no sign of Paul.”

The men then cut the line and let the shark go because there was no sign of their friend.

As they continued to look for Barning, who was not wearing a life jacket, Bradley activated the “man overboard” function on a GPS tracking device. A multi-agency search for Barning was promptly launched, but efforts ended on Feb. 25.

At last week’s hearing, the coroner said it’s believed Barning died on Feb. 23, although his exact cause of death cannot be determined because his body was never located.

“Mr Barning died as a result of misadventure when he was suddenly and unexpectedly pulled into the water whilst managing a trace line when taking part in a game fishing competition,” Lee wrote.

Born in Sydney, Barning owned a construction company and was also an avid fisherman, having won many trophies at previous game fishing competitions, the coroner said.

“By all accounts, Mr Barning was a beloved husband and father, a genuine and respected friend and a skilled fisherman,” officials wrote. “There is no doubt that he is greatly missed, and that the sudden and unexpected circumstances in which he went missing have only added to the grief and trauma that his family, loved ones and friends have experienced.”

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Following the incident, the New South Wales Game Fish Association shared a press release about Barning, and shut down reports that he had been attacked by a shark after falling into the ocean.

“Our thoughts and prayers are with his wife Leonie, his son Sam and daughters Eleanor and Brigette in this trying time,” the organization said.