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Dozens of beaches have been closed in response to a rash of shark attacks along the New South Wales Coast. Over a span of just 48 hours, four shark encounters have been reported near Sydney.
The first attack occurred Sunday afternoon, when 13-year-old Nico Antic was swimming with friends in Sydney Harbor and sustained grave injuries to both legs. New South Wales water police officers treated him aboard their vessel, where they applied two tourniquets and administered first aid, before transporting him to nearby Rose Bay wharf. From there, he was transported to Sydney Children’s hospital in Randwick, where he was placed on life support.
On Monday, an 11-year-old boy’s surfboard was bitten by a shark at Dee Why Beach in Sydney’s northern beaches. Though the animal took a six-inch bite out of his board, 9 News reports that the boy was able to walk away from the encounter otherwise unharmed.
Later that evening, 27-year-old Andre de Ruyter was bitten in the leg by a shark while surfing at Manly Beach. The Wollongong local sustained what authorities called “probably life-changing injuries.” Christie Marks with NSW ambulance told The Guardian the man was in cardiac arrest when emergency crews arrived, after which they performed CPR and gave him 13 units of blood, while transporting him to a nearby hospital.
The most recent run-in took place on Tuesday morning at Point Plomer Beach, located 200 miles north of Sydney. A 39-year-old man was surfing when a shark took hold of his surfboard. As The Guardian reports, NSW police said he sustained a minor wound to his chest, but managed to escape without serious injury.
In each case, authorities believe a bull shark is most likely to be the culprit. According to the New York Times, warmer-than-average weather and runoff from heavy rainfall have created conditions that are conducive to an increased shark presence.
In response, dozens of beaches along Australia’s east coast will be closed Tuesday and Wednesday. “If you’re thinking about going for a swim, think of going to a local pool because at this stage, we’re advising that beaches are unsafe,” Steven Pearce, the chief executive of Surf Life Saving New South Wales told reporters.
