A 12-year-old boy is fighting for his life in hospital after a severe shark attack in Sydney Harbour, one of three alarming incidents to hit the city's coastline within a single day.
Brave Rescue in Murky Waters
The attack occurred on Sunday afternoon near Shark Beach at Nielsen Park, outside the area protected by shark nets. The boy had been jumping from a popular rock ledge with friends when he was bitten. His friends immediately jumped into the water to pull him to safety, an act police later praised as "brave."
New South Wales Police Marine Area Command Superintendent Joe McNulty said a police speedboat was nearby and reached the scene within minutes. Officers applied two tourniquets to the boy's legs to stem severe bleeding and performed CPR as he was rushed by boat to Rose Bay, where ambulance crews were waiting.
"The actions between police and the team who were doing CPR at the time were extraordinary," Mr McNulty stated. "It was a textbook recovery to give this boy a fighting chance for survival." The boy, who was unconscious when first responders arrived, suffered severe injuries to both legs and was later intubated to assist his breathing.
A 'Perfect Storm' of Conditions
Authorities believe environmental conditions created a dangerous situation. Heavy rain over the weekend led to runoff, making the harbour water brackish and murky with low visibility. Police and fisheries officials suspect the attack was most likely carried out by a bull shark, though the species could not be confirmed from the injuries alone.
"We believe a combination of the brackish water, the fresh water and the action of the splashing may have made that perfect storm environment for that shark attack," Superintendent McNulty explained.
In response, police have urged the public to avoid swimming in Sydney Harbour and nearby river systems while water visibility remains poor. They specifically warned against swimming after rainfall, at dawn or dusk, or near areas where fish are congregating.
Wave of Incidents Sparks Beach Closures
The harbour attack was followed by two further shark incidents across Sydney within 24 hours, heightening concerns. On Monday morning, an 11-year-old boy surfing at Dee Why Beach escaped unharmed after a shark bit his surfboard several times, tearing a chunk from it.
Later on Monday evening, a man was left in critical condition after being bitten by a shark at Manly Beach, marking the third attack in two days. NSW Ambulance said intensive care paramedics treated the man at the scene, with a helicopter deployed overhead.
Authorities have closed several beaches, including Shark Bay Beach and Camp Cove near Nielsen Park. The NSW government's SharkSmart programme confirmed a shark sighting in the area on Monday afternoon prompted further evacuations. Officials also noted that heavy swell had prevented the operation of smart drumlines along much of the NSW coast, limiting shark detection efforts.
While Australia has recorded 23 fatal shark attacks since 2020, experts continue to stress that the risk to individuals remains very low compared to the number of people who enter the ocean each year.
