Former England cricket captain Michael Vaughan has described hearing gunshots during the terrorist attack at a gathering to celebrate the first night of Hanukah at Sydney’s Bondi beach as “terrifying”.
Vaughan, who is in Australia working as a media pundit for the Ashes series, said he was locked in a restaurant “a few hundred yards from the attack” with his wife, two daughters, sister-in-law and a friend.
A father and son have been identified as the alleged shooters, with authorities confirming the death toll from the massacre targeting the Jewish community has risen to 15, including one child. One of the gunmen was also confirmed dead.
Writing in The Telegraph, Vaughan said: “Like most people, I have been at home watching terrorist attacks unfold in London, or Manchester, near where I live. That all feels very close to home, and is scary. But to be so close that you can hear it happening is terrifying.”
The 51-year-old said he was on the phone outside when he heard sirens on the beach and thought it was a shark attack or a fight until he was told to get inside by a bouncer and the restaurant locked its doors.
“I have never experienced anything like it,” he wrote. “You know what’s happening around you, but you don’t want to believe it’s happening.”
The Ashes series continues on Wednesday with the start of the third Test in Adelaide, which Vaughan said would be “a sombre affair”.
“The cricket will go on,” he said. “You don’t back down to these cowards who think they are going to change the world for the better by killing innocent people. Australia will fight back … but it’s going to take a bit of time.”
Australia captain Pat Cummins said he was “devastated by the horror last night in Bondi” and urged people to help if they could.
“My heart goes out to the victims, their families, the people of Bondi and our Jewish community during this time,” Cummins wrote in an Instagram post. “If you can, please book an appointment to donate blood.”
Opening batter Usman Khawaja posted several times about “the truly devastating news”, and expressed his sympathy with the Jewish community.
“Up before the break of dawn and praying for the Jewish and Bondi community as a whole. No room whatsoever for these hate crimes,” Khawaja wrote. “Lives lost senselessly, families shattered, the Bondi community traumatised. There are no words – only heartbreak.”
Nathan Lyon, who like Cummins will return to Australia’s side for the third Test, said he and his teammates watched the attack unfold on the news.
“Obviously we’re extremely saddened,” he said. “A horrific day for everyone involved and we stand by them and our thoughts and prayers are with them. But nothing I’m going to say right now is going to make anyone feel any better, other than that we’re thinking of them and hopefully they can get through this.”
England are due to visit Sydney at the start of January for the fifth Ashes Test and issued a statement of support following the attack.
“Everyone in the England Cricket team is deeply saddened by the horrific events at Bondi beach yesterday evening,” it read.
“Our thoughts are with the victims, their families and friends at this deeply distressing time. We stand alongside the people of Sydney, the Jewish community and our heartfelt condolences go to all those affected.”
Speaking at a press conference at Adelaide Oval, England vice-captain Harry Brook added: “It was a horrendous day for everybody involved on Bondi beach. We are really thinking about them and the horrific incidents that happened.
“We support them all the way through and we’re just extremely sorry for what happened.”
AFL club the Sydney Swans and the NRL’s Sydney Roosters – both with strong ties to Bondi – were among sports clubs to release statements on Monday in support of those affected by the tragedy. Sporting events in Australia this week are expected to feature tributes to victims.
