Elite paddleboarder Charlie Verco, who rescued a woman from a shark attack at Coogee beach in Sydney, described the incident as shocking. Verco was training for the world championships when he heard a swimmer shout 'shark'.
The Rescue
Verco, a trained surf life saver, saw a large grey shadow and several swimmers trying to climb onto his paddleboard. He initially thought the shark was inquisitive, but then a woman screamed and was dragged underwater. 'There was a lot of blood in the water, it was quite shocking,' he said.
The shark, about 3.5 meters long, released its grip, and Verco helped the woman grab his board. She lost consciousness, so he held her with one hand while paddling to shore. It took about three to five minutes to reach the shallows.
Aftermath
The woman, in her 30s, suffered arm and leg injuries and was taken to St Vincent's hospital in critical condition. Beaches from Bondi to Maroubra were closed for at least 24 hours. Steve Pearce, SLSNSW chief executive, called it the fourth serious shark incident in Sydney since September 2025.
