Sydney has been left stunned and authorities are scrambling after three separate shark attacks occurred within just over 24 hours, critically injuring two people and sending shockwaves through the coastal community.
A Harrowing Sequence of Attacks
The terrifying spate of incidents began on Sunday, 19 January 2026, in the eastern suburb of Vaucluse. A 12-year-old boy suffered serious injuries to both legs after jumping from a six-metre high ledge known as Jump Rock, near Shark Beach inside Sydney Harbour. Police have credited his three friends with saving his life, bravely jumping into the water during the attack to drag him back to shore.
"The actions of his mates who have gone into the water to pull him out have been nothing but brave," Superintendent Joseph McNulty told reporters. News media reported the boy lost both legs in the encounter.
Monday's Double Strike
The danger escalated sharply on Monday. Around noon, an 11-year-old boy had his surfboard attacked by a shark at Dee Why Beach, north of Manly. The shark bit a chunk from the board, but the child escaped physically unharmed.
Then, at 6:20pm local time, a surfer in his twenties was bitten on the leg off North Steyne Beach in Manly. Bystanders rescued him from the water before an ambulance rushed him to hospital in a critical condition.
Beach Closures and Suspected Culprits
In response, local authorities have ordered Sydney's northern beaches, including North Steyne and Dee Why, to remain closed until further notice. All three beaches where the attacks happened have some form of shark protection netting, though it's unclear if the attacks occurred inside or outside these barriers.
Authorities suspect bull sharks are responsible for at least the first two attacks inside the harbour. Police had warned that recent heavy rain over Sydney increased fresh, murky water in the harbour, heightening the bull shark danger. Dee Why Beach is near Ocean Reef Beach, where a surfer was killed by a suspected great white shark in September 2025.
This tragic series of events follows the death of a Swiss tourist in a shark attack north of Sydney in November 2025, underscoring the persistent and heightened risk in the region's waters.
