CANBERRA, May 24 (Reuters) – A 39-year-old man has died after being attacked by a shark while fishing on the Great Barrier Reef on Sunday. This marks the second fatal shark attack in Australia this month. The m...
CANBERRA, May 24 (Reuters) – A 39-year-old man has died after being attacked by a shark while fishing on the Great Barrier Reef on Sunday. This marks the second fatal shark attack in Australia this month.
The man was part of a group of four who traveled about 45 km (28 miles) off the Queensland coast to Kennedy Shoal, a shallow reef, according to Queensland Police Service Inspector Elaine Burns.
“It is believed that the man was spearfishing when the attack occurred, resulting in a severe head injury,” she stated. “Another person, who was with him, pulled him from the water.”
After calling emergency services, it took the boat over an hour to reach the shore, Burns mentioned. “He was declared dead at the boat ramp.”
The police have not released the man’s identity. Burns noted that it’s still unknown what type of shark was involved in the attack, but confirmed that no one else was hurt.
This tragedy follows another incident where a 38-year-old man was attacked near an island close to Perth in Western Australia on May 16.
According to conservation groups, Australia sees about 20 shark attacks annually, but most do not result in fatalities. In fact, drowning is a more common risk on the country’s beaches.
In January, many beaches along Australia’s east coast, including those in Sydney, were closed after several shark attacks occurred within two days. These incidents were linked to heavy rainfall, which creates murky waters that attract sharks and lessen visibility.