A 12-year-old boy has died in hospital after being attacked by a shark in Sydney Harbour last weekend, his family has confirmed. Nico Antic was bitten on both legs on 18 January at a harbour beach in Vaucluse, in Sydney's east.
In a statement on Saturday, his parents Lorena and Juan said: 'We are heartbroken to share that our son, Nico, has passed away. Nico was a happy, friendly, and sporty young boy with the most kind and generous spirit.' They thanked first responders and staff at Sydney Children's Hospital, Randwick.
Nico had been swimming outside the shark net enclosure near Shark Beach at Nielsen Park when what is thought to be a bull shark attacked him. Friends rushed to help, with at least one pulling him to safety. He had been in a critical condition since arriving at hospital.
A GoFundMe page raised nearly $240,000 for the family. Tributes included one from Kate Barley, mother of Khai Cowley, a 15-year-old killed by a shark in 2023. Nico was a member of the North Bondi Surf Life Saving Club's Nippers program and was awarded most improved for under-11 boys in 2024.
The incident was the first of four shark bites on the New South Wales coast in 48 hours. Experts linked the spike to intense rainfall flushing dirty water onto the coast. Nearly 30 Sydney beaches were closed, but all reopened ahead of the long weekend, though Manly beach closed again on Saturday after a shark sighting.
