Leah Stewart, a 34-year-old teacher and mother of a one-year-old daughter, has spoken her first words after emerging from a coma ten days following a shark attack at Sydney's Coogee beach. On Tuesday, she told her mother and partner, 'I love you,' as she briefly regained consciousness.
Stewart was bitten by a great white shark on 13 June and has undergone five days of surgeries, including an arm amputation, with more procedures expected. Her brother, Josh Stewart, wrote on a fundraising page that doctors were able to extubate her and reduce sedation after a week of life support and repeat surgeries. 'Her first thoughts were with her daughter … and wanted to check she was OK,' he said. 'This is a lot faster than anyone expected, and for us this feels like a miracle.'
Fundraiser and Recovery
A GoFundMe page set up to cover medical costs and support Stewart's family has raised over $488,000 in donations. She remains in intensive care as her recovery continues.
Shark Activity and Beach Closures
Meanwhile, tensions over shark presence along Sydney's coast have escalated. A drone video on social media showed what appeared to be a great white shark close to shore at Bondi beach early Wednesday morning, leading to a beach closure by lifeguards. The New South Wales Shark Smart app reported the closure at 9am. The state's Department of Primary Industries (DPI) noted that white sharks are common at this time of year, with tagged sharks showing northward movements along the coast in late autumn and early winter.
The DPI also confirmed a tiger shark was detected at Bondi on Tuesday afternoon, having been tagged at Maroubra earlier that day. Bondi had been briefly closed on Sunday due to another shark sighting.
Government Response
Stewart's attack reignited calls to cull shark populations, but NSW Premier Chris Minns stated that great whites are protected and cannot be targeted. Instead, the state plans to deploy 'world-leading' shark drones across more beaches. 'We'll be using technology that’s available, but hasn’t been rolled out at scale anywhere in the world,' Minns said, adding that an announcement on cost and operation by Surf Life Saving NSW would come soon.
The DPI reported that one Surf Life Saving drone is flown at Bondi daily from 7.30am to 4pm, with others covering Tamarama, Bronte, Coogee, and Maroubra beaches. The Civil Aviation Safety Authority granted a temporary exemption for aerial surveillance at Coogee, which is about 8km from Sydney airport.
Expert Advice
Marine biologist and shark expert Emeritus Professor Rob Harcourt said it was 'unlikely' that the same shark was responsible for multiple sightings, as sharks move over large areas. He advised swimmers to use patrolled beaches and avoid swimming alone. 'You’re less likely to spot an animal that’s coming in, whereas if you’re swimming in a group, there’s more eyes in the water,' Harcourt said. He supported the expansion of drone surveillance as a cost-effective and environmentally harmless method to protect beachgoers.
