A woman is in a critical condition after being attacked by a shark at a popular Sydney beach, prompting a massive emergency services response. The swimmer, believed to be in her 30s, suffered serious arm and leg injuries from the bite and was airlifted to hospital.
Incident Details
The shark alarm rang out at Coogee Beach after the woman was bitten near the shore. Police said emergency services were called just before 11:15 am on Saturday, June 13, following reports of a shark attack on a swimmer.
Witness Account
A witness told Australian news outlet news.com.au that a lifeguard on a surfboard rushed to attend to the woman when screams were heard. "I saw the shark's fins," the witness said. "A swimmer was doing laps not far from shore. The lifeguard made an X symbol with his arms and the shark alarm sounded." The witness noted there was "a lot of blood" in the water and that the swimmer appeared to have been bitten on the torso.
Emergency Response
New South Wales police stated that members of the public pulled the woman from the water and commenced first aid before emergency services arrived. Police then rendered first aid before a helicopter airlifted her to hospital. Nearby beaches, including Coogee, Clovelly, and Bronte, have been closed.
Recent History
This attack comes just months after a 12-year-old boy, Nico Antic, was mauled by a shark in Sydney's east on January 18. He died later that month. That attack was the first in a series of maulings that followed in the days after Nico was hospitalised.
