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, and had been in a critical condition since.
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. He was always full of life and that's how we'll remember him.' They thanked first responders and staff at Sydney Children's Hospital, Randwick, as well as the community for their support.
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. He was swimming outside a shark net enclosure near Shark Beach at Nielsen Park when a bull shark is believed to have attacked him. Friends rushed to help, with at least one jumping into the water to pull him to safety.
The incident was the first of four shark bites on the New South Wales coast in 48 hours. Subsequent attacks included an 11-year-old's surfboard being bitten at Dee Why, a 27-year-old man bitten while surfing at Manly, and a 39-year-old man bitten at Point Plomer. Experts linked the spike to intense rainfall flushing dirty water onto the coast.
Nearly 30 Sydney beaches were closed following the attacks, though all reopened ahead of the long weekend. Manly beach was closed again on Saturday after a shark sighting. NSW's shark management program, boosted by £1.3m in December, includes SMART drumlines and drone patrols at 50 beaches during school holidays.
