A series of three separate shark attacks in Sydney over a 24-hour period has left a man and a boy fighting for their lives, with authorities closing beaches and warning of heightened danger.
A Terrifying Sequence of Attacks
The first incident occurred on Sunday, when a 12-year-old boy suffered devastating injuries to both legs. The attack happened after he jumped from a six-metre high ledge known as Jump Rock, near Shark Beach in Sydney Harbour's Vaucluse suburb. Police have hailed his three friends as heroes for their brave actions in saving his life by jumping into the water during the attack and dragging him to shore. Superintendent Joseph McNulty praised the boys, stating their actions were "nothing but brave" and that they faced "very confronting injuries." News reports indicate the boy lost both legs in the mauling.
Further Attacks Prompt Beach Closures
The horror continued into Monday. At 6:20 p.m. local time, a surfer in his 20s was bitten on the leg off North Steyne Beach in Manly. Bystanders pulled him from the water before he was taken to hospital in a critical condition. Just hours earlier, around noon, an 11-year-old boy had a lucky escape at Dee Why Beach, north of Manly, when a shark bit a chunk from his surfboard, leaving him physically unharmed.
In response, local authorities have closed Sydney's northern beaches, including North Steyne and Dee Why, until further notice. This is despite all three beaches having some form of shark protection netting in place, though it remains unclear exactly where the attacks occurred in relation to these nets.
Authorities Point to Bull Sharks and Environmental Factors
Police suspect bull sharks are responsible for at least the first two attacks inside the harbour. They issued a warning linking the danger to recent heavy rainfall over Sydney, which has increased the amount of fresh and murky water in the harbour—conditions known to attract bull sharks.
The incidents have cast a shadow over a region already wary of shark threats. Dee Why Beach is close to Ocean Reef Beach, where a 57-year-old surfer was killed by a suspected great white shark in September last year. Furthermore, in November, a 25-year-old Swiss tourist was killed and her partner injured in a shark attack while swimming off a national park north of Sydney.
The consecutive attacks represent an unusually concentrated spike in shark incidents for the area, raising urgent questions about safety measures and environmental conditions.
