The moment a towering wall of water crashed through the window of a German ferry has been filmed by a terrified commuter.

The vessel was sailing across the Elbe River to the Airbus factories in Hamburg when it was hit by the wave.

The windows are seen buckling under the water as the boat rocks from side to side, lashed by winds of up to 150km/h.

READ MORE: Diving instructor and ocean lover killed in Sydney shark attack

Passengers flee as glass and water are sent flying down the ailes.

One person was injured in the incident.

Large ships have been banned from sailing up the Lower Elbe River that connects the port of Hamburg to the sea.

Meteorologists on Thursday warned that northern Europe could be battered by a series of storms over the coming days.

Strong winds swept across the region overnight, killing at least four people, downing power lines and causing widespread travel delays.

Meteorologists said they measured wind speeds of up to 135 kilometres per hour in low-lying areas of Germany.

– WITH AP

Nearly 50 years after she vanished without a trace, Victoria Police had released new pictures of a missing teen in a bid to elicit information about the case.

Sherrlynn Mitchell, from Ballarat, was last seen at her home on Eyre Street on Thursday 22 November 1973 when she left to meet a friend at a bus stop.

However the 16-year-old never turned up. She never returned to her workplace at Ballarat Woollen Mills and did not collect her wages.

Sherrlynn's mother passed away in 2016. Her two brothers are her only surviving relatives.

READ MORE: Diving instructor and ocean lover killed in Sydney shark attack

Victoria Police has released an age progression photo of the teen showing what she may look like now.

Investigators said they've "exhausted all known avenues of inquiry".

READ MORE: What lured a great white shark to shore before fatal attack?

"We are determined to find out what happened to her so we can end the trauma for her family and loved ones," Detective Acting Sergeant Andrew Barnes of Ballarat Crime Investigation Unit said.

"While there is nothing at this time to indicate Sherrlynn's disappearance was suspicious, police are keen to speak to anyone who has more information about her movements over the years or where she may be now.

"Sherrlynn, if you are out there – it is not a crime to disappear and police will not disclose your whereabouts to anyone if that is your wish – we just want to know that you are safe."

At the time of her disappearance Sherrlynn was 165cm tall with a medium build, red hair, hazel eyes and a fair complexion.

Body of woman found in US

In 2010 Victoria Police used DNA testing to determine if a body of a woman found in the US could be Sherrlynn.

The body was found seven years after the 16-year-old vanished.

However the body proved to be someone else.

"In 2020, Ballarat detectives received samples of both Sherrlynn's and her now deceased mother's hair. The samples were sent to the Victoria Police Forensics Unit and the Victorian Institute of Forensic Medicine for examination, and a partial DNA sample was obtained," Victoria Police said in a statement.

"Detectives followed up a number of possible DNA matches in Australia, however no matches were found."

Anyone with information about Sherrlynn is asked to contact either Ballarat Police Station on 03 5336 6000, or Crime Stoppers on 1800 or www.crimestoppersvic.com.au.

Sydney beaches will re-open to the public today, after being closed for over 24 hours following a fatal shark attack at Little Bay on Wednesday.

Randwick City Council said police, council lifeguards and the Department of Primary Industries (DPI) have all confirmed there have been no further sighting of sharks in the area, giving the all-clear for Little Bay, Malabar, Maroubra, Coogee, Clovelly and La Perouse beaches to re-open.

Waverley Council also confirmed the re-opening of Bondi, Tamarama and Bronte beaches from 6am, which is when patrols commence for the day.

READ MORE: What lured a great white shark to shore before fatal attack?

While Southerland Shire Council announced beaches would re-open as of today, saying: "lifeguards will have flags back up."

"Remember to swim between the flags and ask a lifeguard for safety advice if you're unsure of conditions," they advised.

The DPI said a great white shark was likely responsible for the death, which is Sydney's first fatality in almost 60 years and forced the closure of beaches from Cronulla to Bondi on Thursday, with swimmers asked not to enter the water.

READ MORE: Diving instructor and ocean lover killed in Sydney shark attack

Yesterday, Randwick City Council lifeguards surveyed the beaches on jet skis and used drones to check for shark sightings along the coast.

In addition, the DPI temporarily installed six SMART drumlines between Little Bay and Malabar as part of a shark incident response plan. SMART drumlines are a non-lethal measure of shark control.

These drumlines are anchored to the floor and send an alert to officials once an animal is caught on the line.

"The team then responds immediately to the SMART drumline alert to manage the animal," the DPI explains.

"Sharks and any other marine fauna caught on SMART drumlines can be tagged, relocated approximately 1km offshore, and released."

While the beaches have re-opened in time for the weekend, this Sunday's Murray Rose Malabar Magic Ocean Swim has been cancelled by organisers.

"The organising committee extends our thoughts and prayers to the family of the swimmer who was so tragically taken yesterday," organisers said in a statement.

"Out of respect for the swimmer and his family, and following wide consultation with Randwick Council and experienced, senior Surf Life Saving personnel, we believe that cancelling the 2022 swim is appropriate."

The Malabar Magic Ocean Swim raises money for the Rainbow Club, which helps teach more than 1400 children with disabilities to swim each week.

The event has already raised $128,000 for the foundation despite it no longer going ahead.

READ MORE: Sydney's last fatal shark attack in 1963

Adelaide Fringe Festival director Heather Croall struggled to hide the desperation in her voice at a press conference today, after South Australia Premier Steven Marshall said his government would not provide the festival with an additional $8 million in funding.

"We have been fighting through this pandemic so hard to make sure we can give money to artists and venues to make sure that South Australia can get the festival they want," she said, choking back tears.

"I'm sorry, because it is a heartfelt battle that we have been driving and I am absolutely passionate."

READ MORE: Swimmers enter closed Sydney beaches after fatal shark attack

"I truly believe that the Adelaide Fringe is the jewel in the crown in this state, and it needs the funding to double down so that we can disperse that money to artists and venues who are taking the risk every year."

This comes as opposition leader Peter Malinauskas announced Labor's plan to double the event's funding with an extra $2 million for each of the next four years, additional to the baseline $2.4 million annual operating grant.

Premier Marshall held a press conference to open the Fringe Festival on Thursday morning where he stated the Liberal Party has no plans to increase funding "at this stage".

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Defending his position, Mr Marshall said his party had "significantly increased the expenditure going to the Fringe" since coming into power.

"In the previous term of Labor, they spent $7.17m supporting Fringe – we've driven that up to $11.58m over our four years," he said.

In 2021, the state government gave 2022 Fringe additional funding of $1.4 million — $600,000 for COVID-safe operations, $500,000 in grants for artist support, and $350,000 for its drone event, Sky Song.

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The drone light show will no longer be happening on Friday night at the opening of the festival after organisers failed to gain the appropriate permissions to fly over Adelaide.

Adelaide Fringe is the biggest arts festival in the Southern Hemisphere and runs for 31 nights, from February 18 to March 20, 2022.

A Northern Territory business owner has captured the moment a 2m crocodile cruised through a popular swimming spot, prompting warnings for nearby locals.

Tim Walker, who conducts motorbike tours through the area, jumped out of his car when he spotted the crocodile near the banks of the creek, which runs into Girraween lagoon in Darwin.

"I saw what I thought was the head of a crocodile and so I slowed down a bit as I looked, and it ducked under the water which was really cool," Mr Walker said.

READ MORE: Diving instructor and ocean lover killed in Sydney shark attack

"He or she played around in the water there for a few minutes, thrashing about and then it left up the creek so I got that cracking look at it."

Mr Walker said he notified wildlife rangers immediately, as the creek is a popular swimming spot frequented by large groups and families.

"It's a very busy little swimming hole. For the last two months there's been people swimming there almost everyday," he said.

READ MORE: Swimmers enter closed Sydney beaches after fatal shark attack

He said when he came back to the area, a trap had been set to catch and relocate the crocodile.

"The crocodile is still at large. A couple of larrikins went out and sat in the water which was insane," Mr Walker said.

The business owner said residents were likely to keep swimming in the area but he would think twice before entering the water with his two children, aged nine and seven.

"It does make me very concerned for my kids and it is a very real danger," he said.

"Crocs are probably the only animal on the planet that will actually hunt humans. Crocs want to eat you, there's no two ways about it. I'm very respectful of crocodiles.

"It really gets my heart racing when we're close to them and it is a worry."

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By RNZ Justin Yang is not just top of New Zealand for English at his year level – he’s top of the world.The Avondale College Year 11 student blitzed the Cambridge University International English exam, scoring 99 per cent. …

Petrol prices across Sydney have never been more expensive with many dreading filling up the tank.

9News can reveal what you can do to get the cheapest price at the petrol bowser.

Coles and Woolworths still offer four cent a litre discounts at participating service stations if you've spent $30 or more in the supermarket.

READ MORE: Swimmers enter closed Sydney beaches after fatal shark attack

NRMA members can save five cents a litre on premium fuel and three cents a litre on regular fuel at Ampol and Caltex service stations.

Loyalty card discounts are also available at 7-Eleven.

Prices can differ by up to 40 cents a litre on any given day, so checking the NRMA and NSW Government FuelCheck apps tell customers in real time where the cheapest petrol is.

READ MORE: Hundreds of Aussie miners set to lose jobs over vaccine mandate

"Get access to that data, use it when you're filling up," NRMA spokesperson Peter Khoury said.

"That's the best way to save at the bowser and that's the best way to push back against these rising oil prices."

An elite soldier who served in Afghanistan alongside Ben Roberts-Smith has claimed the war hero bullied and threatened to kill him.

The serving SAS member, known as Person 1, gave evidence for Nine newspapers in its defamation case today and told the Federal Court he was the victim of a seven-year intimidation campaign.

Following a 2006 mission in the Chora Valley, Mr Roberts-Smith was awarded a Medal for Gallantry for single-handedly fighting off 16 Taliban insurgents.

READ MORE: Swimmers enter closed Sydney beaches after fatal shark attack

The trial was told about a major mistake made during that battle by Person 1, who

admitted his machine gun jammed at least three times because he forgot to bring his weapon oil on the operation.

He later received an officer commanding warning for "not performing to standard".

This incident followed several alleged run-ins with the Victoria Cross recipient, which the witness claimed turned into threats.

"If your performance doesn't improve on the next patrol, you're going to get a bullet in the back of the head," Person 1 alleged Mr Roberts-Smith told him back at base.

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Person 1 told the court he then lodged a formal complaint, which he said led to him being confronted again.

"If you're going to make accusations —- you better have some f—— proof," he claimed Mr Roberts-Smith said to him.

"Not only did I have to worry about the Taliban, but I also had to look over my own back at my own people," Person 1 told the court today.

Even after Person 1 switched patrols and climbed the ranks, he claims Mr Roberts-Smith described him to other soldiers as "incompetent" and a "coward".

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They ended up in mediation in 2013, when they agreed to disagree and shook hands.

Not only does Mr Roberts-Smith deny the bullying, but he is also suing Nine newspapers for articles alleging he is a war criminal.

Fatal shark attacks in Sydney are extremely rare and now marine experts are trying to work out what lured a suspected great white to our shores before yesterday's fatal attack.

Diving instructor Simon Nellist was swimming at Little Bay Beach in the city's east yesterday afternoon when he was attacked by the shark.

Human remains were found yesterday about 4.30pm and witnesses were left reeling after the confronting incident.

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The Department of Primary Industries (DPI) said a great white shark was likely responsible for the death, which is Sydney's first fatality in almost 60 years and forced the closure of beaches from Sutherland Shire to Bondi.

Marine experts said unseasonably warm ocean temperatures and an abundance of baitfish may have enticed the shark closer to the shoreline than usual.

Buchan Point, near where Mr Nellist was swimming, is known for its game fishing because of the northerly currents and how deep it is.

The water temperature right now is pushing 26 degrees, leading to an increase of fish below the surface.

The higher number of fish can attract larger predators, such as the great white shark involved in yesterday's tragic attack.

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Wildlife scientist Dr Vanessa Pirotta said the shark may have been lured to the beach due to the number of fish.

"This animal may have been following prey in the area and simply, unfortunately, came across a swimmer at the time," she said.

Multiple SMART drumlines have been installed to search for the shark.

A University of Otago spokesperson said today Public Health South advised the university that students who attended parties in Castle St between the hours of 7pm on February 12 and 1am on February 13 should be tested for Covid-19…