Surfer injured in fourth shark attack in Australian state in 48 hours
A surfer was bitten by a shark, the fourth attack in less than 48 hours off Australia’s New South Wales (NSW) coastline.
The 39-year-old man suffered minor cuts after a shark bit his board near Crescent Head on Tuesday morning. According to reports, he is currently in a stable condition in the hospital.
This follows three attacks in Sydney in the past two days. Police say all beaches in Sydney’s northern region will remain closed under further police supervision.
The attacks followed days of heavy rains, which NSW Superintendent Joseph McNulty previously said may have created a “storm environment” for shark attacks. Rain can flush nutrients into the water, bringing sharks closer to shore.
Tuesday’s attack took place near the Point Plomer campground, about 450 km (279 miles) north of Sydney.
Steve Pearce, chief executive of Surf Life Saving NSW, said the surfer was “very lucky not to have sustained any serious injuries”, the ABC reported.
“We really strongly advocate that no one swim or surf near estuaries because that’s an area where sharks congregate,” Pearce said. he said. “If the water was dirty, I would think twice about going in there.”
A young surfer had a similarly lucky escape at Sydney’s Dee Why Beach on Monday, but a shark attack at nearby Manly hours later left the 27-year-old suffering “life-changing” injuries. On Sunday, a 12-year-old boy was also seriously injured when he was bitten at a popular beach in Sydney Harbour.
Authorities believe bull sharks have been involved in many of the recent incidents. attacks.
The Australian Museum says bull sharks, which can be found in both freshwater and saltwater, are “one of the few sharks that are potentially dangerous to humans.” They are the third deadliest shark species, according to the International Shark Attack File.
Last November, a woman died and a man was seriously injured after being attacked by a bull shark on a remote beach in New South Wales.
Although Australia is a global shark attack hub, the chances of being attacked are still very low.
Police on Monday advised people to stay away from waterways in NSW due to recent weather conditions that have resulted in reduced water quality and visibility.
“I would advise against swimming in the harbor or any of our other river systems in NSW at this time,” Inspector Joseph McNulty told reporters.
