A man died in a shark attack Friday morning off the central coast of California, local officials said.

"At 10:48 am a male surfer off State Parks Beach just north of Atascadero Road was pronounced dead at the scene," Morro Bay police said in a statement. "Harbor, Police and Fire Departments responded to a report of a male victim unresponsive on the beach after he was pulled from the water suffering from an apparent shark attack."

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The victim's identity was not immediately released to the public, though he is reported to have been 31. The Christmas Eve incident is under investigation.

Eric Endersby, Morro Bay Harbor director, said the victim appeared to be a bodyboarder who was dragged to the beach by a nearby female surfer, according to the Los Angeles Times.

Police said the beaches in the Morro Bay and State Parks area would remain open, noting authorities have ordered beachgoers to stay out of the water for the next 24 hours.