Surfer in Australia bitten by shark in fourth attack in two days
A surfer in the Australian state of New South Wales (NSW) has been bitten by a shark in the fourth attack in the state in less than 48 hours. The 39-year-old man suffered “a wound to the chest” after a shark took a bite out of his surfboard, police said. He has since been released from hospital
It comes after three other attacks in Sydney over just two days, resulting in all of the city’s northern beaches being closed until further notice, according to police. NSW Superintendent Joseph McNulty said that heavy rains over the previous days created a “perfect storm” for shark attacks because rain brings nutrients into the water which attracts sharks.
The most recent attack took place around 450km (279 miles) north of Sydney near the Point Plomer campground. The surfer was “very fortunate to not have sustained any serious injury,” said Steve Pearce, the chief executive of Surf Life Saving NSW.
“We really strongly advocate that nobody swim or surf near river mouths because it’s obviously an area where sharks congregate,” Pearce said. “If it’s dirty water I’d think twice about going in there.”
One surfer had a lucky escape with shark at Sydney’s Dee Why Beach, while another wasn’t so lucky. A 27-year-old was left with “life-changing” injuries, and a 12-year-old boy was critically injured after being bitten at Sydney Harbour beach.
Bull sharks are believed to have been involved in many of the recent attacks, authorities say. The species lives in both fresh and salt water and is “one of the few sharks that are potentially dangerous to people” according to the Australian Museum.
However, the chances of a shark attack are low, even if the country is a hotspot for them.
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