A woman died and a man was seriously injured in a bull shark attack at Crowdy Bay, with a bystander’s heroic actions potentially saving his life
CROWDY BAY: A bull shark killed a woman and seriously injured a man during an early morning swim at a remote Australian beach.
The fatal attack occurred Thursday at Crowdy Bay, approximately 250 kilometres north of Sydney in New South Wales.
The woman died at the scene while the man suffered serious leg injuries and was airlifted to hospital in stable condition.
New South Wales Police inspector Timothy Bayly confirmed the victims knew each other and were swimming together when attacked.
A bystander potentially saved the man’s life by applying a makeshift tourniquet to his leg, according to state ambulance inspector Joshua Smyth.
“The courage from some bystanders is amazing in this situation — to put yourself out there is very heroic,” Smyth said.
Surf Life Saving NSW chief executive Steven Pearce described it as “a really, really terrible incident” occurring in an area without lifeguard services.
Authorities determined a bull shark was most likely responsible based on bite marks, animal behaviour and ocean conditions.
Bull sharks can grow to 2.3 metres and are among the species most likely to bite humans in Australian waters alongside great whites and tigers.
Australia has recorded more than 1,280 shark incidents since 1791, with over 250 fatalities including 212 involving bull sharks.
Scientists attribute increasing attacks to crowded waters and rising ocean temperatures affecting shark migration patterns despite overfishing.
In September, a great white killed a surfer at a popular Sydney beach, breaking his surfboard and causing severe injuries.
Fatal shark attacks appear to be rising with 56 deaths in the past 25 years compared to 27 in the previous quarter-century.
Australians continue frequent coastal visits with nearly two-thirds of the population making 650 million coastal visits in 2024.
Authorities use drones, acoustic trackers, mobile alerts and nets for protection while conservationists note 37% of oceanic shark species are threatened. – AFP
