Drone army summonsed to guard against sharks year-round

Shark-detecting drones will monitor beaches from dawn to dusk following a brutal attack on a young mother.

Leah Stewart had her arm amputated after being bitten by a great white shark while swimming at Coogee Beach in Sydney’s east on June 13.

The 34-year-old mother of a toddler spent a week on life support, has undergone multiple surgeries and has a long journey ahead of her, but she is now off the critical list.

Ms Stewart was swimming among the flags when she was attacked.

NSW Premier Chris Minns has announced his government will invest an extra $34 million to greatly expand drone coverage on beaches in Sydney and along the state’s coast.

Under the expanded programme, approximately 70 beaches, including at least one beach in every coastal local government area, will benefit from drone monitoring 365 days a year.

This additional monitoring by Surf Life Saving NSW will prioritize beaches with large numbers of swimmers, surfers and paddlers, including Sydney and the North Shore, where shark incidents are more common.

This expanded monitoring will begin on Wednesday and cover all Sydney beaches year-round, stretching from 26 to 38 from Palm Beach to Cronulla.

“We know people love going out on our beaches and they need to feel safe doing so,” Mr Minns said on Sunday. he said.

“While no one can promise there will be no shark interactions, this investment is about putting more eyes in the sky so we can detect sharks earlier and give people a clear warning when they are in the water.”

A fundraising page set up to fund Ms. Stewart’s medical procedures and help her family has raised more than $500,000.

Surf Live Saving NSW will continue to lead drone operations and will increase drone use during busier seasons.

Ms Stewart’s attack reignited calls for shark populations to be culled to protect swimmers, but Mr Minns said the great white shark population could not be targeted because it was protected.

Shark nets removed during the winter whale migration season will be reinstalled in September.