Woman killed and man injured in New South Wales

A woman died and a man was seriously injured They were attacked by a shark while swimming On a remote beach in New South Wales, Australia.

Police said the woman, believed to be in her 20s, died at the scene, while the man, believed to be in his 20s, was flown to a hospital in Newcastle in a critical condition.

Police said paramedics were called to Kylies beach in Crowdy Bay National Park, about 300 kilometers north of Sydney, in the early hours of Thursday morning local time.

Authorities praised a bystander who applied a makeshift tourniquet to the man’s leg before paramedics arrived, “potentially saving his life.”

“The bravery of some bystanders in this situation is incredible,” NSW Ambulance Inspector Josh Smyth told reporters.

“It’s a heroic act to put yourself out there, and frankly it bought us time to get to that male patient.”

The beach was now closed and police were contacting experts from the Department for Primary Industries to identify the shark species involved.

“Smart” drum lines were also being deployed, luring sharks with baited hooks so they could be tagged and released again.

Surf Life Saving NSW said surrounding beaches would also be closed for 24 hours and drones would monitor the area.

“This is a terrible tragedy and we offer our deepest condolences to the families of the man and woman involved,” Surf Life Saving NSW CEO Steve Pearce said.

“For now, please stay out of the water at nearby beaches and follow lifeguards’ directions.”

This is the fifth fatal shark attack in Australia this year. The most recent was less than three months ago, when a man was killed in a rare shark attack off Sydney’s northern beaches.