Results 1 to 22 of 22

Thread: 3 Shark Attacks In 6 Weeks, Cid Harbour, QLD

  1. #1
    Senior Member blighted star's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2013
    Location
    Probably South Of You
    Posts
    11,256
    Rep Power
    21474859

    3 Shark Attacks In 6 Weeks, Cid Harbour, QLD

    Posting this in case there are more attacks because it's getting a little too like Jaws now

    The attacks are happening in a small harbour, off a small island, which is a HUUUUUUGE tourist area.

    After the first 2 attacks they went all out with shark killing. They had drumlines out & media reported every time they pulled in a shark that was over 3m


    They took the drumlines down a week or two later & now there's been another attack.

    Summer tourist season starts soon & the water is going to be full of holidaymakers - or maybe not




    First attack -


    https://www.theadvocate.com.au/story...-shark-attack/


    SEPTEMBER 20 2018 - 11:09AM
    Shark attack leaves Burnie woman fighting for life
    Luke Sayer, Ruth McCosker and Toby Crockford

    Shark attack: Burnie woman Justine Barwick was attacked by a shark in the Whitsundays. Picture: File
    Shark attack: Burnie woman Justine Barwick was attacked by a shark in the Whitsundays. Picture: File
    A Burnie woman is fighting for life after being attacked by a shark in Queensland.

    Justine Barwick, 46, was snorkelling when she was attacked.

    Mrs Barwick is the operations manager with Coastal organisation Family Based Care.

    CEO Douglass Doherty said on Thursday he could confirm Mrs Barwick had been hospitalised as a result of a shark attack that took place about 5pm on Wednesday in the Whitsunday Passage.

    ?Justine was on leave with her husband and friends enjoying time on their family yacht as part of an annual trip to the Whitsundays,? Mr Doherty said.

    ?She is an avid snorkeler and enjoys these times away with family and friends.

    ?At this time Justine is in a critical but stable condition.

    ?Justine is a fighter - a fit resilient woman who is an outstanding leader in the aged and disability care sectors. These intrinsic attributes will serve her well in her recovery,? he said.

    The RACQ CQ Rescue helicopter lands at Mackay Base Hospital with the shark attack victim. Picture: Olivia Grace-Curran - Nine News Queensland
    The RACQ CQ Rescue helicopter lands at Mackay Base Hospital with the shark attack victim. Picture: Olivia Grace-Curran - Nine News Queensland

    Mr Doherty said late on Thursday afternoon that Mrs Barwick had been transferred for more care.

    ?She has been transported by RSDF flight to the Royal Brisbane Hospital on Thursday afternoon to access a higher level of care, she will be consulted by vascular and plastic surgeons,? he said.

    ?She is in a stable but critical condition. She has improved to the point where she can be transported.?

    He said her husband Craig would accompany her to the Royal Brisbane Hospital.

    The quick actions of an emergency doctor in the right place at the right time ?undoubtedly? saved the life of Mrs Barwick according to Queensland emergency services.

    She suffered severe leg and torso injuries when she was attacked in Cid Harbour, off Whitsunday Island, while swimming near a yacht late on Wednesday afternoon.

    Mrs Barwick spent the night fighting for life in Mackay Base Hospital, where she remained on Thursday morning in critical condition.

    RACQ CQ rescue crewman Ben McCauley said the shark had taken a "huge chunk" from the woman's inside leg and the quick actions of people onboard nearby vessels, including emergency department doctor John Hadok, saved her life.

    Profusely bleeding, she was pulled from the water, transferred to a yacht and later moved to a dinghy to be winched up by a rescue helicopter dispatched from the coastal town of Proserpine.

    ?The people on scene who got her aboard that yacht and quickly packed the gaping wound to help stem the haemorrhaging undoubtedly saved her life," Mr McCauley said.

    Queensland Ambulance Service manager of operations for Mackay Tracey Eastwick said the woman received immediate pain relief once onboard the helicopter.

    ?The patient was in a serious condition with a major haemorrhage and blood loss,? she said.

    ?At the time she had altered levels of consciousness and was in a significant amount of pain.?

    The quick actions of emergency department doctor John Hadok helped save the life of a Tasmanian tourist bitten by a shark in the Whitsunday Islands. Picture: Supplied
    The quick actions of emergency department doctor John Hadok helped save the life of a Tasmanian tourist bitten by a shark in the Whitsunday Islands. Picture: Supplied

    She arrived at the Mackay hospital about 8pm, after the helicopter made a quick stop at Proserpine to pick up blood and to refuel.

    ?Given how serious her injuries were and how far from shore and from medical help they were, without the rescue helicopter I don?t think she would have made it back to the mainland alive,? Mr McCauley said.





    2nd Attack


    https://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/nat...20-p504zj.html


    Girl, 12, bitten in second Whitsunday Island shark attack in 24 hours
    By Toby Crockford & Ruth McCosker
    Updated21 September 2018 ? 9:17amfirst published 20 September 2018 ? 2:34pm

    Baited drumlines will be rolled out after a second shark attack in 24 hours at a popular north Queensland harbour left a 12-year-old girl in a critical condition.

    The girl, reported to be on holiday with her father and sister, suffered a "significant leg injury" when she was attacked near Cid Harbour, off Whitsunday Island, about 1.40pm on Thursday.


    The girl was brought to a beach near Cid Harbour by the water police and loaded onto the RACQ CQ Rescue helicopter.CREDIT:RACQ CQ RESCUE

    'It is horrific ... for us as paramedics'

    Queensland Ambulance Service operations manager Tracey Eastwick said the girl lost a significant amount of blood after she was bitten.



    "It is horrific ... for us as a community of paramedics it is quite confronting to have two similar incidents in the space of less than 24 hours," she told reporters in Mackay.

    "In north Queensland, shark attacks are not that common."

    The Department of Agriculture and Fisheries would send a contractor to the Whitsundays on Friday to roll out three shark control drumlines, fitted with bait hooks.


    The 12-year-old girl arrives at Mackay Base Hospital.CREDIT:OLIVIA GRACE-CURRAN - NINE NEWS QUEENSLAND

    Before Wednesday, the most recent attack in the area was eight years ago.



    QAS Rockhampton operations centre manager Mindy Thomas described the attacks as "confronting".

    She said two paramedics and a doctor responded to the more recent attack with the RACQ CQ Rescue helicopter, which landed on a nearby beach by 2.50pm.


    Ms Thomas said the water police vessel ferried the girl from the boat she was on to Whitsunday Island so she could be loaded into the waiting helicopter.

    She had "fairly large wounds" on her thigh and suffered significant blood loss but did not lose consciousness.



    The girl was given pain relief and three pints of blood on the flight to hospital. A trauma team was waiting on her arrival.

    "The first aid that was provided both yesterday and today has contributed to saving [both victims'] lives at this point in time," Ms Thomas said.

    Fisheries tells people not to swim

    Sea World marine services director Trevor Long told reporters shark attacks were "very unlucky and extremely unfortunate" in the "relatively safe" Whitsundays.

    "This is a tropical area. There?s probably four species that could be involved in it, probably the worst of those species would be a tiger shark," he said.



    The Department of Agriculture and Fisheries said a Queensland Boating and Fisheries boat arrived at the scene on Thursday afternoon and asked people not to swim in the area.


    "Fisheries Queensland has organised for the Queensland Shark Control Program contractor based at Mackay to deploy three shark control drumlines in the area tomorrow morning," the DAF statement said on Thursday.

    "Fisheries is working with other agencies including the police and marine parks."

    The measures aim to reduce the overall number of sharks in the area, but do not provide an impenetrable barrier between swimmers and marine life.



    Fisheries Minister Mark Furner said fisheries officers and water police boats were patrolling the area a few hours after the attack.

    ?Shark attacks in these waters are rare. That?s why these events are so shocking."
    Last edited by blighted star; 11-05-2018 at 03:59 AM.

  2. #2
    Senior Member blighted star's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2013
    Location
    Probably South Of You
    Posts
    11,256
    Rep Power
    21474859
    https://www.9news.com.au/2018/09/21/...ays-drum-lines




    Authorities warn it's not safe to go back in water yet

    7:47pm Sep 21, 2018



    The shark or sharks that attacked two people at Cid Harbour in Queensland's Whitsunday Islands have not yet been caught, with authorities warning tourists and locals it's not yet safe to go back in the water.

    Hannah Papps, 12, from Victoria, who was holidaying in the region with her father and sister received a life-threatening wound to her leg yesterday.



    The attack came less than 24 hours after Tasmanian woman Justine Barwick, 46, was also bitten on her left thigh while snorkelling in the same harbour.


    The girl was initially taken to Mackay Base Hospital but was today flown to Brisbane by the Royal Flying Doctor Service for further treatment by specialist vascular surgeons.

    The girl's mother was overseas in New Zealand at the time of the attack visiting a sick relative. Her father has been praised by paramedics for the assistance he gave her.

    Ms Barwick was taken to Brisbane yesterday and her condition has since been upgraded to stable in intensive care at the Royal Brisbane and Women's Hospital, according to her family.

    Fisheries Queensland set three baited drum lines in the harbour today in an unprecedented bid to catch the shark or sharks responsible.


    Land, air and sea searches were also underway, with authorities keen to reassure tourists as soon as possible that the region is safe ahead of the upcoming school holidays.

    The Whitsunday Islands are a global treasure but many Airlie Beach operators, who are still recovering from Cycline Debbie, fear the attacks will taint the destination.

    The last attack in the area was eight years ago.

    Shark attack expert Daryl McPhee, from Bond University, said while the likelihood of being attacked by a shark is slim, the Great Barrier Reef has a higher population of sharks than other areas.


    "That increases the chances of something happening," Associate Professor McPhee said.

    "Sharks will bite things that they think are prey and sometimes they consider people prey."



    https://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-09-...tacks/10296264

    Fourth shark killed following two attacks in North Queensland's Whitsunday islands
    By Timothy Shepherd
    Updated 23 Sep 2018, 8:57pm

    Aerial of Cid Harbour with the shoreline and a boat in the water.

    PHOTO: Another shark has been captured and killed in North Queensland. (Facebook: RACQ CQ Rescue)

    RELATED STORY: Three sharks shot and killed near site of Whitsundays attacks


    A fourth tiger shark has been captured in drumlines and killed off the coast of North Queensland where a young girl and woman were mauled by sharks.

    Key points:

    A Queensland Fisheries spokesman could not confirm whether the shark was involved in two recent attacks in the Whitsundays

    He said the shark was dangerous and needed to be removed from the area

    The Humane Society said it would take legal action over use of drum lines in the Great Barrier Reef

    The 3.7 metre Tiger shark is the largest caught since the attacks on 46-year-old Tasmania woman Justine Barwick and 12-year-old Melbourne schoolgirl Hannah Papps in the Whitsundays last week.

    A spokesman from Queensland Fisheries could not confirm whether the shark was responsible for either attack but said it was dangerous.

    "This shark, like the others, would pose a serious threat to people swimming in the Cid Harbour waters," he said.

    "The intention is to remove large, dangerous sharks from the area and reduce the risk to people."

    Sally McAdam, who lives on a boat on Cid Harbour, said she saw Queensland Fisheries kill two sharks on Saturday.

    "We could see the fisheries boat come towards this drumline … we just watched them and they fired another shot at the shark and they tried to pull in the bait line but obviously the shark was still thrashing around from having a big hook in its mouth and it was really quite sad and terrible," Ms McAdam said.

    She said less than two hours later, authorities captured another shark.

    'There was blood everywhere'

    Tasmanian woman Justine Barwick is lucky to be alive according to rescuers and nearby holidaymakers who witnessed the woman's ordeal after being bitten by a shark in the Whitsundays.

    "Another boat notified fisheries that their drum in the southern part of the bay was going berserk and we watched the fisheries boat come in and fired shots and it was all a bit distressing," Ms McAdam said.

    "I thought it was quite well known that around the [Whitsunday] islands it was a shark habitat and swimming was always at your own risk, so I think it's been a massive knee-jerk reaction to a problem that's created from phobias."

    Ms Barwick, an aged care worker, remains in the intensive care unit at the Royal Brisbane and Women's Hospital after undergoing reconstructive surgery on her injured right leg.

    Her Husband Craig Barwick said he could understand the State Government's response, but acknowledged that attacks were rare.

    "The reaction by the Queensland Government setting drum lines and culling sharks is understandable and in some ways I appreciate it," Mr Barwick said.

    "However, we have to understand that while there have been two attacks in rapid succession, shark attacks are rare and sharks play an important role in the ecosystem of the Great Barrier reef."

    Humane Society plots legal action

    Marine Conservation groups have attacked the Queensland Government over the capture and killing of the sharks.

    Humane Society International spokesperson Lawrence Chlebeck said the response was futile.

    "We feel that it is a cruel punishment, there's no way of knowing that these are the sharks are the actual culprits," Mr Chlebeck said.

    "These actions are just providing people with a false sense of security and really aren't addressing the problem."


    PHOTO: Two sharks were caught within five minutes of each other in Cid Harbour last week. The third was caught later on Saturday.
    (Instagram: sailingpopeye)


    The Humane Society said they would take legal action over the use of drum lines in the protected Great Barrier Reef.

    "That is going to be heard by the Queensland Administrative Appeals Tribunal on January 30 next year."

    Queensland Fisheries will continue to use drumlines in the region over the coming days and are urging people to stay out of the affected waters.
    Last edited by blighted star; 11-05-2018 at 03:40 AM.

  3. #3
    Senior Member blighted star's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2013
    Location
    Probably South Of You
    Posts
    11,256
    Rep Power
    21474859
    https://m.whitsundaytimes.com.au/new...rbour/3535247/

    Drumlines removed from Cid Harbour
    27th Sep 2018 12:13 PM

    DRUMLINES placed in Cid Harbour last week have been removed after six sharks were taken from local waters.

    But boaties and visitors are being urged to remain vigilant in the area and to avoid swimming to reduce the risk of any further shark attacks.

    Minister for Agricultural Industry Development and Fisheries Mark Furner said the Queensland Government's response to last week's unprecedented shark incidents had been reviewed regularly and an assessment had been made today that it had been effective in raising public awareness.

    "Setting the drumlines immediately after last week's events has highlighted the dangers posed by shark activity in the Cid Harbour area,? Mr Furner said.

    "By removing these large sharks we have made the area safer and the publicity around our actions has certainly made everyone more conscious of their own well-being in those waters.

    "The sharks removed measured 1.2 metres up to 3.7 metres, which is very large. Most of these were Tiger sharks more than two metres in length, which have a history of causing serious injuries and death.

    "This indicates the high level of shark activity in the area and suggests more than one shark was involved in last week's incidents.

    "While we are confident people now better understand the threat posed by these marine predators, there will be a continuing presence in the area over the school holiday period.

    "The Queensland Boating and Fisheries Patrol (QBFP) will remain onsite with support from other state government agencies to provide a 'at sea' advisory program to maintain the heightened level of awareness around the safety risk.?

    Mr Furner acknowledged the efforts of the QBFP, which has been on the water daily since last Thursday informing boaties and holiday makers, while also undertaking the difficult job of removing the sharks.

    "We continue to urge people to exercise caution and not to swim there, and not to throw food scraps from boats,? he said.

    "The Cid Harbour area is not covered by the Queensland Government's Shark Control Program, which operates at 85 of Queensland's most popular beaches. 

    "It is not practical to permanently operate shark control equipment at this location as it is too far from the mainland to allow quick deployment, access and servicing, or rapid removal in bad weather.

    "However, in this situation we believed that it was essential that we respond quickly and use the expertise and resources of the Program to protect the public.

    "I also want to wish the two victims of last week's incidents a continued recovery as they overcome their injuries.?
    3rd attack :

    https://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-11-...tacks/10467674

    Shark bites man in Cid Harbour area where two attacks occurred in September
    Updated 59 minutes ago



    PHOTO: Emergency staff at Mackay Base Hospital rushed the man to surgery. (ABC News)


    Emergency crews have airlifted a man to hospital after he was attacked by a shark near Cid Harbour off the north Queensland coast ? close to the area where two other people were mauled in September.

    The Queensland Ambulance Service (QAS) said the man, believed to be in his 30s, suffered critical injuries to his leg and wrist.

    The latest attack occurred while the man was swimming off a private boat near Cid Harbour around 5:30pm on Monday, the QAS said.


    The @cq_rescue chopper has landed at #mackay hospital after another shark attack in the #Whitsundays. The man in his 40s is understood to be critically injured @abcbrisbane @abcnews


    It was dark by the time paramedics arrived by helicopter to treat the man, making their task more complicated.

    It is believed crew on the boat were assisting the man when paramedics got to the scene.

    The man was flown to Mackay Base Hospital for treatment, where he was rushed to surgery upon arrival.

    On September 19, Tasmanian woman Justine Barwick was mauled on the leg by a shark while swimming in Cid Harbour on Whitsunday Island around 5:00pm.

    She lost a lot of blood and authorities believed the presence of an emergency doctor on a nearby boat saved her life.

    Less than a day later, a 12-year-old girl from Melbourne was bitten on the leg by a shark at Cid Harbour and rushed to Mackay Base Hospital in a critical condition.

    'There was blood everywhere'

    Tasmanian woman Justine Barwick is lucky to be alive according to rescuers and nearby holidaymakers who witnessed the woman's ordeal after being bitten by a shark in the Whitsundays.
    In response to the attacks, Queensland Fisheries deployed drum line shark baits in Cid Harbour, and six potentially dangerous sharks were culled.

    They included five tiger sharks, one of which was 3.7 metres long.

    At that time, Fisheries was unable to say whether that shark had been responsible for either of the September attacks.

    Fisheries Minister Mark Furner said Cid Harbour was not covered by the State Government's shark control program, which operates at 85 Queensland beaches.

    Marine conservation groups attacked the Government over the capture and killing of the sharks.

    A Humane Society International spokesperson said the response was futile.









    Last edited by blighted star; 11-05-2018 at 04:00 AM.

  4. #4
    Senior Member
    Join Date
    Feb 2007
    Posts
    11,903
    Rep Power
    14329607
    Humans are stupid and evil and humans think they own everything.

    There's no reason to kill sharks, none!

  5. #5
    Senior Member blighted star's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2013
    Location
    Probably South Of You
    Posts
    11,256
    Rep Power
    21474859
    Oh shit, he died! When they described the injuries last night it sounded like the most minor attack so far


    https://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-11-...s-qld/10468184

    Cid Harbour shark victim dies from attack at same spot where two tourists were also bitten
    Updated 10 minutes ago



    VIDEO: Man dies from shark attack injuries (ABC News)

    RELATED STORY: Man bitten by shark in same Whitsundays area as previous attacks

    A 33-year-old man has died after being attacked by a shark in Queensland's Whitsundays about 5:30pm on Monday.

    Key points:

    The man was paddleboarding and swimming with friends when he was 'viciously mauled'

    Two tourists were attacked in the same area last month
    Drumlines temporarily installed after those attacks should be made permanent, the local MP says

    The attack happened at Cid Harbour and the man was airlifted with critical wrist and leg injuries to Mackay Base Hospital, where he was rushed to surgery upon arrival.

    "He'd suffered very serious bites, significant blood loss as well as cardiac arrest," Central Queensland rescue crewman Ben McCauley said.

    "When we arrived he was already being treated by a paramedic from Hamilton Island, two off-duty doctors and an emergency department nurse from other nearby vessels."



    VIDEO: The CQ Rescue helicopter lands at Cid Harbour to airlift the shark attack victim to hospital. (ABC News)

    Police said the 33-year-old Victorian man was paddleboarding and swimming with friends at Cid Harbour when he was mauled.

    People in another boat nearby dragged him out of the water, but he had suffered horrific injuries to his leg and wrist.

    The rescue helicopter service said the man had been "viciously mauled".



    'Worst one yet'

    Two tourists ? a 46-year-old woman and a 12-year-old girl ? were attacked in separate incidents in the same area in September.

    Paramedics described this third attack as "the worst one yet".

    In response to the attacks in September, Queensland Fisheries temporarily deployed drumline shark baits in Cid Harbour, and six potentially dangerous sharks were culled.

    They included five tiger sharks, one of which was 3.7 metres long.

    At the time, Fisheries was unable to say whether that shark had been responsible for either of the September attacks.

    The drumlines were removed after a week.

    Beachgoers need 'fair protection'

    Whitsunday MP Jason Costigan said it was madness that none of the beaches in the Whitsundays were protected by drumlines.

    "The minister responsible should be fixing it in the public interest, particularly after this fatality," he said.

    "We need to make sure we give our beachgoers fair protection. There are no guarantees here, none at all."

    He said tourists needed to be better educated about the dangers of swimming at dawn or dusk

    "I think government needs to be working with industry in educating people who run a yacht or rent a boat and go out for a trip of a lifetime, an experience of a lifetime, in the place that I call paradise," he said.

    "Government and industry need to be working together but there is no substitute for exercising commonsense."


  6. #6
    Scoopski Potatoes Nic B's Avatar
    Join Date
    May 2011
    Location
    Sacramento, California
    Posts
    12,776
    Rep Power
    21474861
    Dangers of swimming at dawn or dusk.....but the 12 year old was attacked at 1 in the afternoon?


    Quote Originally Posted by marakisses View Post
    yes i said i will leave it under you storage he said cuddle with me i said shut up it over??? what am i doing wrong??
    Quote Originally Posted by curiouscat View Post
    Happy Birthday! I hid a dead body in your backyard to celebrate. Good luck finding it under the cement. You can only use a stick to look for it.

  7. #7
    Senior Member blighted star's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2013
    Location
    Probably South Of You
    Posts
    11,256
    Rep Power
    21474859
    Yeah, something's going on, this is really out of the ordinary - maybe it was an overcast day or the water was cloudy, they can both be risk factors too. But if it was a bright sunny day with good water visibility then they have a rogue shark & depending what species it is, I guess it could decide to move to a completely different area





    Which reminds me, I just realised that the one time I ordered my kids out of the water it was really overcast. I got a bad feeling when I saw a flash of dorsal fin about 8 metres behind them. Probability-wise it should've been one of our local dolphins, but it didn't surface again. The kids thought I was being ridiculous when I made them get out of the water (so did I to be honest), but it never did surface again, so it can't have been a dolphin.


    We know for certain there are always sharks around when we swim here - partly because our beaches are part of a marine reserve, & partly because we have shark spotter planes flying up & down the coast in summer. Sometimes they'll blast out a warning to get out of the water because there's a shark nearby - I dont know if QLD does that. Even here though, the planes have to cover 100s of kms of beaches so you might only see them fly over once or twice a day, which leaves sharks with a lot of unsupervised play time


    Our state has these alerts on Twitter too, but you only get warnings about the sharks NSW Fisheries Dept have tagged - & they're obviously a tiny minority of the shark population

    https://mobile.twitter.com/nswsharksmart



    Anyway, latest advice from local police is "don't swim in Cid Harbour at all"


    https://m.facebook.com/story.php?sto...26431080719650
    Attached Images Attached Images

  8. #8
    Senior Member blighted star's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2013
    Location
    Probably South Of You
    Posts
    11,256
    Rep Power
    21474859
    I should've posted the vic ID last night, went to do it just now & there's a bright red banner in tne article about a 4th attack - totally different place this time - -but still, fucking hell.






    https://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-11-...tidis/10468184



    BREAKING NEWSNSW Police close Shelly Beach at Ballina on the state?s far north coast after a 43-year-old local man is attacked by a shark.



    Cid Harbour shark attack victim Daniel Christidis a Melbourne medical researcher


    PHOTO: Daniel Christidis died after being attacked while swimming at Cid Harbour on Monday. (Twitter)


    Melbourne medical researcher Daniel Christidis has been identified as the man who died in north Queensland on Monday night after being attacked by a shark in the Whitsundays.

    Key points:

    The man was paddleboarding and swimming with friends when he was 'viciously mauled'

    Two tourists attacked in same area in September

    Drumlines temporarily installed after those attacks should be made permanent, local MP says
    Dr Christidis, 33, was the third person to be attacked by a shark at Cid Harbour in just six weeks.

    He was a researcher at Melbourne's Austin Hospital and a hospital spokesperson said Dr Christidis's research team members were "absolutely reeling" from the news of his death.

    "We are deeply saddened by the tragic loss of Dr Daniel Christidis, who was a research fellow with Austin Health," the spokesperson said.

    "Our thoughts are with his family during this extremely difficult time. We are reaching out to his colleagues and will provide counselling support to anyone who needs it."

    Earlier on Tuesday, Cid Harbour shark attack survivor Justine Barwick also issued a statement to say she was "devastated" for Dr Christidis's family.

    He was attacked about 5:30pm yesterday while swimming at Cid Harbour, the same place Ms Barwick was attacked on September 19 and a 12-year-old girl was attacked less than a day later.

    Despite three attacks in less than two months, Queensland Tourism Minister Kate Jones rebuffed calls for permanent drum lines in Cid Harbour, saying the measure would not guarantee swimmer safety.


    Fisheries Minister Mark Furner said no-one should swim in Cid Harbour at any time.

    "We can't be clearer ? don't swim in Cid Harbour," he said.

    "Drum lines or not, no-one should swim in Cid Harbour."

    The man mauled in the most recent attack was airlifted to Mackay Base Hospital on Monday night with critical leg and wrist injuries and rushed to surgery, but died a short time later.

    Ms Barwick, who is still recovering in Tasmania after being bitten on the upper leg in the water at Cid Harbour on September 19, released a short statement on Tuesday saying she was shocked to hear of a third shark incident in the Whitsundays.

    "I feel devastated for the family and friends of this young man," Ms Barwick said in the statement.

    "I know that he would have received the best of care available from the Queensland Health Service, including RACQ CQ Rescue helicopter crew and my heart goes out to all involved.

    "This is a terrible tragedy."




    The man was part of a group of 10 friends who had hired a self-driven, 12-metre yacht and were only on the first day of their sailing holiday.

    Police said most of the group had a "medical background" including two doctors who were on board.

    The man and a woman were taking turns using a stand-up paddle board when he was attacked by the shark.


    After the attack, another vessel about 30 metres away carrying French-speaking tourists used a tender to get the man back to his boat.

    The rescue helicopter service that flew the man to hospital said he had been "viciously mauled".

    Inspector Steve O'Connell said the man's friends and rescue crews tried their best to keep him alive but he went into cardiac arrest after losing a significant amount of blood.

    "Every solid effort was made to save his life ? They did everything imaginable," he said.

    One rescue crewman who responded to the attack, Ben McCauley, was also involved in the last two incidents and said it felt like "deja vu" but worse.

    "It's definitely harder this one, it hits home a lot more when you can't go home to your family and say that you've saved another life," he said.

    Mr McCauley said it was a "gruesome" scene.

    "Definitely one of the more difficult ones for everyone involved," he said

    "There was a lot of doctors and nurses already on board so he was in the best care he could have been in.

    "He'd suffered very serious bites, significant blood loss as well as cardiac arrest."


    Water police and boats from other government agencies will conduct patrols of Cid Harbour today in an effort to reassure tourists and people boating in the area.

    Inspector O'Connell said it was a "horrible situation" and authorities were working to warn people to steer clear of the water.

    "The general message given by water police out there and by the government departments will be don't swim in Shute or Cid Harbour at all," he said.



    "His associates and friends on board the vessel are extremely distraught ? they've been supported and are going through a hell of a time no doubt," he said.

    "I've been in the Whitsunday area on and off for 30 years and apart from some minor nips and bites here and there over that period of time I've never heard of any substantial attacks such as what we've seen in these three attacks."

    The yacht was rented from Cumberland Charter Yachts, whose general manager Sharon McNally said they were shocked and saddened.

    "We continue to remind all boat operators and their guests not to swim at dawn or dusk, not to swim in murky water and not to swim in Cid Harbour at any time."

    Drum lines 'won't remove attack risk'

    When questioned about how the Government would respond to the shark attacks, Ms Jones said tourism operators had been actively warning swimmers of the dangers and that the Whitsundays community did not want shark drum lines.

    She said more signs would be installed, reinforcing that no-one should swim in Cid Harbour under any circumstances.

    "Furthermore the evidence shows that we can't ? even with drum lines ? get rid of all the risks associated with sharks in the Whitsundays," Ms Jones said.

    "We certainly would not want to give people a false sense of safety in an area where we could not guarantee it.

    "We've been working hand in glove with both Tourism Whitsunday and the Whitsunday Council about ensuring that we are providing tourists with that information about the risks associated with swimming in those waters."

    Authorities are encouraging boaties in Cid Harbour to refrain from throwing food scraps overboard as it may be encouraging sharks to the site.


    'Visitors are told not to swim at dusk'

    Tourism Whitsundays general manager Natassia Wheeler offered "our deepest sympathies" to family and friends of the man who died.

    "It's a terribly sad situation ? bare boating is an experience where guests charter a vessel and they skipper themselves around the islands," she said.

    "All visitors heading out on charters have certainly been advised not to swim at dusk or dawn and have been given the safety precautions of where to go and where to avoid.

    "So yes, there have been things put in place since the last incident to ensure visitors' safety comes first."

    In response to the attacks in September, Queensland Fisheries temporarily deployed drumline shark baits in Cid Harbour, and six potentially dangerous sharks were culled.

    They included five tiger sharks, one of which was 3.7 metres long.

    At the time, Fisheries was unable to say whether that shark had been responsible for either of the September attacks and the drum lines were removed after a week.

    Beachgoers need 'fair protection'

    Whitsunday MP Jason Costigan said it was madness that drum lines were not used to protect any of the beaches in the Whitsundays.

    "The minister responsible should be fixing it in the public interest, particularly after this fatality," he said.

    "We need to make sure we give our beachgoers fair protection. There are no guarantees here, none at all."

    He said tourists needed to be better educated about the dangers of swimming at dawn or dusk

    "I think government needs to be working with industry in educating people who run a yacht or rent a boat and go out for a trip of a lifetime, an experience of a lifetime, in the place that I call paradise," he said.


    Housing and Sport Minister Mick de Brenni said it was a tragedy.

    "This event happened less than 24 hours ago and an investigation is underway, of course this event is terribly tragic and let's see what the experts have to say about what steps and measures have to be taken."

    Humane Society International's Lawrence Chlebeck said locals know there could be tiger sharks in the harbour and people should be told not to swim there.

    "The knee-jerk culling of sharks at Cid Harbour was clearly not the answer. Lethal drum lines provide a false sense of security and are tremendously unpopular with the public," he said.

    "Permanent and prominent signage and education to prevent swimming would have been much more effective."

    The group says it is challenging the use of 173 drumlines deployed in the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park, with a hearing due in court at the end of January.

    Bowen-based commercial fisherman Nathan Donaldson said the Great Barrier Reef had become a major breeding ground for bull sharks.

    "I returned from sea after a 10-day trip ? and every single day packs of these bull sharks were harassing us wherever we go, and that will be the same for every single commercial live trout boat that's left on the Great Barrier Reef," Mr Donaldson said.

  9. #9
    Senior Member blighted star's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2013
    Location
    Probably South Of You
    Posts
    11,256
    Rep Power
    21474859
    For reference, this attack happened roughly 1300km south of the Cid Harbour attacks, so it has nothing to do with them, but it's still weird because it's pretty much unheard of to see more than one attack within such a short period of time anywhere in Australia




    https://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-11-...ttack/10471810

    Man attacked by shark near Ballina
    Updated 48 minutes ago


    PHOTO: Shelly Beach, near Ballina on the far north NSW coast. (Flickr: Witness King Tides)

    A man has been left with a 20-centimetre gash on his leg after being attacked by a shark on the NSW far north coast.

    The 43-year-old local was bitten at Shelly Beach, near Ballina, about 7:10am today.

    It is understood he fought the shark off with his surfboard and was able to paddle to shore.

    The man took himself to Ballina Hospital and has since been transferred to Lismore Base Hospital.

    All beaches in the area have been closed for 24 hours.

    More to come.




    When the Black December deaths happened in Durban, there were outside factors that contributed to the spate of attacks.

    https://usa.oceana.org/blog/south-af...st-year-sharks



    Which makes me wonder if something similar's happening in Australia right now? Do droughts change marine environmental conditions? Could that be what's happening?

    There's also been a huge increase in land clearing in some parts of NSW & QLD - could that result in more nutrients making their way into rivers & eventually out to sea?

    Something different has to be hapoening, because if anything, people are more aware of shark safety these days, if this was just a case of swimming in the wrong place, at the worst time, there should be a long history of similar spates of attacks.

    People aren't suddenly behaving differently this year, so the sharks must be

  10. #10
    Senior Member blighted star's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2013
    Location
    Probably South Of You
    Posts
    11,256
    Rep Power
    21474859
    Well shiiiit. Maybe stay out of the water this year Australia


    https://fox2now.com/2015/07/02/droug...s-off-n-c-s-c/



    Drought may be causing increase in shark attacks off N.C., S.C.

    POSTED 7:59 AM, JULY 2, 2015, BY CNN WIRES

    This is an archived article and the information in the article may be outdated. Please look at the time stamp on the story to see when it was last updated.

    This map details six shark attacks in North Carolina in 2015. This map is current as of July 1, 2015, showing the latest attack in Ocracoke Island.

    Sharks have attacked 10 people off the coast of North Carolina and South Carolina this year, according to the International Shark Attack File at the University of Florida, including a man bitten Wednesday on the Outer Banks? Ocracoke Island.

    That?s higher than the average of six attacks a year off the coasts of those two states.

    What?s behind the increase?

    A number of factors could be contributing to the apparent rash of attacks, such as warmer water and drought conditions, said George Burgess, director of the Florida Program for Shark Research.

    Drought conditions reduce the amount of freshwater making it to the sea, which creates an environment along the shore where higher salt levels attract more fish and sharks, Burgess said.

    Warmer waters have sharks in North Carolina ahead of schedule, which is a recipe for more attacks. At Oak Island, North Carolina, two teenagers were bitten 90 minutes apart on June 14.

    Burgess said people are going to the beach in higher numbers, now that school is out for the summer.

    ?This is a situation that we can?t ignore, as we?ve had a number of attacks that are serious within a short period of time,? he told CNN?s ?Anderson Cooper 360? on Wednesday night.

    ?There?s something going on there, there?s no doubt about that. It?s a perfect storm of environmental and biological variables, as well as human activity,? said Burgess.

    Man in his 60s hospitalized

    A man in his late 60s was attacked by a shark in North Carolina on Wednesday, in what was the seventh such attack in the state this year.

    The attack occurred on the Outer Banks? Ocracoke Island. The man was swimming outside the first breaker when he came upon a gray shark, some 6-7 feet in length, according to Sarah Johnson, spokeswoman for Hyde County.

    The shark pulled the man under the water, and he sustained bites to his rib cage, hip, lower leg and both hands, she said. The man was conscious and talking and was flown to a hospital for treatment.

    ?There was a big trail of blood from the water to the sand,? witness Stephen Lee told CNN.

    ?There?s still people here and some people have gotten back in the water, and the park rangers are just now trying to vacate the area,? he said. ?We will likely go back in the water, but maybe not get our whole bodies in today.?

  11. #11
    Senior Member blighted star's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2013
    Location
    Probably South Of You
    Posts
    11,256
    Rep Power
    21474859
    Another attack (5th). This one's about 1000km south of the first 3 & about 250km north of the 4th one


    He was attacked at 6.30am, so if you're reading this from Australia tell everyone you know to actually follow the dusk/dawn/low water visibility precautions while we're in drought. I know a lot of people say "Fuck it, what are the chances of a shark attack" & go in anyway, but while we're in drought the risk is higher than usual.

    Everyone should stay out of the water at high risk periods, but if you don't usually do that, at least start doing it until the drought's over,




    https://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-11-...h-qld/10499556


    Kayaker Kyle Roberts escapes tiger shark attack off Queensland's Sunshine Coast
    ABC Sunshine Coast By Jacqui Street and staff
    Updated about 2 hours ago


    PHOTO: What appear to be puncture wounds can be seen on the bottom of the kayak. (ABC News)


    A man has escaped a 4-metre tiger shark that attacked his kayak off Moffat Beach on the Sunshine Coast this morning, with the shark continuing to circle him while he waited for help.

    Key points:

    Kyle Roberts was paddling about a kilometre off Moffat Beach and was knocked into the air by the shark

    The shark punctured the kayak but Mr Roberts hung on as the shark continued to circle

    The kayaker, who lives on the Sunshine Coast, was shaken but not injured

    Kyle Roberts, who lives locally, was paddling about a kilometre off the beach when the shark knocked him off his kayak, according to police.

    Surf Life Saving Queensland (SLSQ) duty officer David McLean said Mr Roberts was in shock when lifeguards reached him on jet skis.

    "There was no blood in the water ? nothing else to attract any sharks ? just came out of the blue, completely broadsided him, and as he stated, he's very lucky to be here," Mr McLean said.

    "It had punctured the kayak ? he managed to get back to the kayak and hung on and fortunately there was an air bubble at the front of the kayak which managed to keep it afloat until we could get to him.


    PHOTO: Kyle Roberts was shaken but not injured and even had a laugh about his ordeal, authorities say. (Facebook: Kyle Roberts)


    "He said the shark didn't make any physical contact with him, but it did make a second lunge at him after biting his craft, and it just missed him fortunately.

    "When he swam back to it [the kayak], the shark was still holding onto his kayak, then let go, then did another lunge, and that lunge missed him and landed beside the kayak."

    Mr McLean said while Mr Roberts was waiting for help "he was starting to panic, especially when the shark was starting to circle him".

    "He would have been through a fair state of panic and that was evident in his voice when he was talking on the radio," he said.

    "He was paddling along in his kayak, the shark's just hit him, knocked him up in the air, out of the kayak, and he ended up 1.5 metres from his kayak."


    PHOTO: Underside of Mr Roberts' kayak showing bite marks from the tiger shark. (ABC News: Tara Cassidy)



    Jacob Thomson, from the SLSQ on the Sunshine Coast, said he saw Mr Roberts in the water.

    "It was a mission to find him, I'll be honest ? he was quite a significant distance out to sea," Mr Thomson said.

    "I was on the headland with some binoculars looking out as best I could and we had some jet skis covering quite a significant area.

    "I just happened to spot him with the binoculars and directed our jet skis over to him as best we could."

    Mr Thomson said Mr Roberts was shaken but not injured and even had a laugh about his ordeal.

    "It was just an unbelievable experience and just the randomness of a shark attacking his kayak," Mr Thomson said.

    "He's someone that does this regularly with his mates ? he's a local and has never had anything like this happen before.

    "I guess just the complete shock at what had occurred and that it managed to latch onto his kayak."

    Communication 'black spot'

    A Caloundra Coast Guard volunteer, who asked not to be named, described the frantic radio call from Mr Roberts as he was knocked off his kayak into the ocean.

    "He had a radio onboard with him ? he said a shark had attacked his kayak and it was sinking," the volunteer said.

    "He was fairly excitable ? he was in a black spot and the communication was a bit difficult."


    PHOTO: The half-submerged kayak off Moffat Beach where a kayaker was attacked by a shark. (ABC News)



    The volunteer contacted SLSQ, who dispatched lifesavers on jet skis to rescue Mr Roberts.

    "Someone was also on the headland trying to do a visual," the volunteer said.

    Mr Roberts told the coast guard the shark was "circling him" while he was waiting for help.

    "It knocked him in the water and he got back into the kayak," the volunteer said.

    The coast guard continued to stay on the radio to Mr Roberts while the rescue team was dispatched.

    "We were mainly concerned where his position was so we could guide the jet ski to his location," the volunteer said.

    He said the surf lifesavers were on the water "within five minutes".

    "We were keeping [Mr Roberts] appraised what was going on until the jet skis arrived," he said.

    SLSQ media said lifesavers on jet skis had "performed an amazing and dramatic rescue" after receiving the call about 6.30am.


    PHOTO: Mr Roberts' kayak was retrieved from the ocean by Queensland police. (ABC News: Tara Cassidy)
    Last edited by blighted star; 11-14-2018 at 10:53 PM.

  12. #12
    Senior Member blighted star's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2013
    Location
    Probably South Of You
    Posts
    11,256
    Rep Power
    21474859
    Number 6


    Shark attack at Seven Mile Beach at Gerroa sees man hospitalised for calf, hand injuries
    Updated 9 minutes ago



    A man is in hospital after being attacked by a shark at a beach in New South Wales' Illawarra region.

    Emergency services said they were called to Seven Mile Beach at Gerroa around 1pm following reports of the attack.

    It is believed a 24-year-old man was participating in a surfing lesson when he was attacked.

    NSW Ambulance said the injuries to the victim's calf and hand were consistent with a "small shark".

    He was airlifted to St George Hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.

    The beach has been closed.

    More to come.

  13. #13
    Senior Member Jumaki15's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2012
    Location
    Columbiana County, Ohio
    Posts
    4,691
    Rep Power
    21474852
    Fuck.Sharks.

  14. #14
    Senior Member blighted star's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2013
    Location
    Probably South Of You
    Posts
    11,256
    Rep Power
    21474859
    Quote Originally Posted by Jumaki15 View Post
    Fuck.Sharks.


    A stingray got someone today too, just for a little variety.


    https://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-11-...beach/10507834


    Man dies from stingray injury while swimming in Hobart
    Updated about an hour ago


    A 42-year-old man who was swimming at a Hobart beach when he was stung by a stingray has died, despite attempts by paramedics to resuscitate him.

    Key points:
    The man was stung while swimming at Lauderdale, about 13 kilometres east of Hobart

    Clarence Mayor Doug Chipman said the council would consider closing the beach

    Stingrays are frequently seen in the waters around Lauderdale

    Tasmania Police confirmed the man was stung on the abdomen while swimming at Lauderdale, about 13 kilometres east of Hobart, earlier this afternoon.

    "Attempts to resuscitate the male were unsuccessful. In the immediate period prior to his death the male had been bathing in the waters a short distance from the shore," police said in a statement.

    "He was removed from the water by friends prior to the arrival of emergency services.

    "It was reported he was unaccompanied in the water at the time of sustaining a puncture wound to his lower abdomen."


    A witness told the ABC she could see a "number of paramedics" performing CPR on a man at Roches Beach, Lauderdale, just after 3:00pm.

    Other witnesses at the scene were too distraught to speak publicly.

    Clarence Mayor Doug Chipman said the council would consider closing the beach if advised.

    "It's a dreadful accident, I'm actually shocked," he said.

    "My prayers go out to the family and friends of the man.

    "I'm not aware of any other stingray attacks on the beach there but we will be taking advice from the experts and from Tasmania Police in terms of public safety."

    "I was on the beach at the time and knew him, very sad," Heath Watson said.

    "Eek this is the beach we love," wrote another. "Looks like it's right opposite where we used to live!"

    "Far out how devastating, condolences to his family, hope you're okay," Rebecca Ellison wrote.

    "Oh how awful, used to see heaps at 5 Mile Beach," another said.

    A number of stingray species are found in Tasmanian waters, with the waters around Lauderdale known to be frequented by the animals.

    Police have urged anyone with information about the incident to contact them by calling Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or through the Crime Stoppers website.

    Police want people with info to contact them, so call 000 & ask for the Stingray Victims Unit if you know anything, I guess

  15. #15
    Senior Member Jumaki15's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2012
    Location
    Columbiana County, Ohio
    Posts
    4,691
    Rep Power
    21474852
    Quote Originally Posted by blighted star View Post
    A stingray got someone today too, just for a little variety.


    https://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-11-...beach/10507834





    Police want people with info to contact them, so call 000 & ask for the Stingray Victims Unit if you know anything, I guess
    The ocean can fuck off.

  16. #16
    Senior Member blighted star's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2013
    Location
    Probably South Of You
    Posts
    11,256
    Rep Power
    21474859
    You really hate it


    It's only the deep parts I don't like, rockpools & shit are cool. I hate the deep parts of anything & everything - lakes, rivers, dams, my fear's not ocean-specific



    Also, while I'm here, I have a sneaking suspicion the 6th attack might"ve been a wobbegong since they said no-one actually saw a shark & wobbegongs like to hang out on the bottom









    Edit : I'm late with my ideas, local coppers think it might've been a wobbegong too

    https://www.southcoastregister.com.a...-beach-gerroa/


    Things you learn on MDS :

    snakes look like scarves but you shouldn"t drape them around your neck.

    wobbegongs look like frilly rugs or camo socks, but you shouldn't stand on them or stick your feet inside
    Last edited by blighted star; 11-17-2018 at 11:00 PM.

  17. #17
    Senior Member Jumaki15's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2012
    Location
    Columbiana County, Ohio
    Posts
    4,691
    Rep Power
    21474852
    Quote Originally Posted by blighted star View Post
    You really hate it


    It's only the deep parts I don't like, rockpools & shit are cool. I hate the deep parts of anything & everything - lakes, rivers, dams, my fear's not ocean-specific



    Also, while I'm here, I have a sneaking suspicion the 6th attack might"ve been a wobbegong since they said no-one actually saw a shark & wobbegongs like to hang out on the bottom



    That thing is going to haunt my dreams. The only way I would ever go into the ocean was if I had made lifelong friends with any whale or any dolphin species. Everything else can eat a bag of dicks. Especially the nightmare fuel of anything in the deepest parts.

  18. #18
    Senior Member blighted star's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2013
    Location
    Probably South Of You
    Posts
    11,256
    Rep Power
    21474859
    Quote Originally Posted by Jumaki15 View Post
    That thing is going to haunt my dreams. The only way I would ever go into the ocean was if I had made lifelong friends with any whale or any dolphin species. Everything else can eat a bag of dicks. Especially the nightmare fuel of anything in the deepest parts.

    Yeah I have to admit that cookie cutter sharks & the stoplight loosejaw are a little disturbing. I definitely prefer to view them from land








    Wobbegongs are cute though. It's a shame they have to stay in the water. I'd totally walk one on a leash if they had feet & lungs

  19. #19
    Senior Member blighted star's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2013
    Location
    Probably South Of You
    Posts
    11,256
    Rep Power
    21474859
    Number 7

    Edit : nope, I think it's number 8 because another teenager was attacked in the same place in September



    (this is the Top End, not the east coast this time but it's still unusual to have so many attacks nationally)



    https://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-11-...ttack/10509570

    Nhulunbuy shark attack victim's friends recount 'confronting' experience as they worked to keep him alive
    By Bridget Judd
    Updated 6 minutes ago

    Sean Whitcombe spearfishing.

    PHOTO: Sean Whitcombe was spearfishing off Nhulunbuy when he was attacked. (Instagram: Sean Whitcombe)


    RELATED STORY: Teenager attacked by shark while spearfishing off Top End coast


    A teenager who was "mobbed" by sharks while spearfishing off the coast of Nhulunbuy was dragged to safety by a group of quick-thinking friends who stemmed the bleeding for a harrowing two hours until emergency services arrived.

    Key points:

    Sean Whitcombe underwent emergency surgery after being attacked by a shark

    Fellow diver Joseph Smith said he pulled the teenager from the water after seeing a "pool of blood"

    An Aboriginal trainee nurse spearfishing with the group saved the day, Mr Smith said

    Seventeen-year-old Sean Whitcombe sustained significant injuries and remains in a critical condition in the Royal Darwin Hospital after he was bitten by a three-metre reef shark near Bromby Island, around 970 kilometres east of Darwin, on Sunday.

    Careflight said the teenager told a staff member he had been "mobbed" by multiple sharks.

    He had been spearfishing from a boat around 30 kilometres offshore when he was bitten on the arm and leg.

    Joseph Smith was diving with Mr Whitcombe when he saw a "pool of blood" around 60 metres from the boat.

    "I jumped on the tinny and raced over to him and just saw all the blood," he said.

    "He'd speared a mackerel and then they took the mackerel off his spear rod ? then the sharks turned on him.

    Sean Whitcombe holds a fish.

    PHOTO: The 17-year-old suffered arm and leg injuries in the attack. (Facebook: Sean Whitcombe)


    "He said he saw about seven [sharks], but it was that quick that he didn't see the shark who bit him."

    Mr Smith, who was with his eight-year-old son at the time, said he ripped the teenager out of the water, leaving his diving gear "floating in the ocean somewhere".

    "As soon as I got him onto the tinny, I raced to the big boat while driving and applying first aid," he said.

    "It was confronting; major veins were severed ? straight away I ripped my shirt off and started wrapping [it] around him.

    "Once he was on the big boat, that's when I did sort of start to panic."

    'Joe, am I going to die?'

    "Chiko", an Aboriginal trainee nurse who had been spearfishing with the group, administered first aid while Mr Smith activated an emergency radio beacon (EPIRB).

    But emergency services "got the wrong coordinates", Mr Smith said, and did not find their boat for two hours.


    It meant the group had to keep Mr Whitcombe calm and stem the bleeding until police arrived.

    "We just spoke to him about happy days - I just tried to keep him in a good headspace," Mr Smith said.

    "He said, 'Joe, am I going to die? Is me [sic] arm going to be chopped off?'

    "If we hadn't had Chiko with us, it would have been a lot worse ? it was unbelievable."

    The teenager has since undergone emergency surgery at the Royal Darwin Hospital.

    St John Operations Manager Craig Garraway said emergency services had worked tirelessly to save his arm.

    "Even with the best first aid that was given, he had lost quite a lot of blood along the way," he said.

    "So those injuries were severe and I think the idea of surgery was to try and at least repair that arm."

    On social media, users of a local spearfishing group warned that sharks off the Arnhem Land coast had been "the worst" they had seen in years.

    In September, a 17-year-old boy sustained knee injuries after he was attacked by a bull shark off Groote Eylandt, south of Nhulunbuy.
    Last edited by blighted star; 11-18-2018 at 07:35 PM.

  20. #20
    Senior Member blighted star's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2013
    Location
    Probably South Of You
    Posts
    11,256
    Rep Power
    21474859
    I wish this database listed individual attacks so you could tell if any were missing

    https://taronga.org.au/conservation-...rk-attack-file

    According to their records there were 18 total last year & there have been 18 so far this year.

    However, 2016 & 2015 were both higher than other recent years - 28 and 33 - so maybe this year won't be that out of the ordinary. I guess we won't know until summer kicks in & everyone starts heading to the beach ...

  21. #21
    Senior Member Jumaki15's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2012
    Location
    Columbiana County, Ohio
    Posts
    4,691
    Rep Power
    21474852
    Quote Originally Posted by blighted star View Post


    Wobbegongs are cute though. It's a shame they have to stay in the water. I'd totally walk one on a leash if they had feet & lungs
    That is not accurate lol

  22. #22
    Senior Member blighted star's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2013
    Location
    Probably South Of You
    Posts
    11,256
    Rep Power
    21474859
    Northern NSW again.



    https://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-12-...heads/10597978


    Shark attack at Nambucca Heads leaves man in serious condition with leg injury
    By Bellinda Kontominas
    Updated 53 minutes ago


    PHOTO: The man has been airlifted to John Hunter Hospital after suffering severe lacerations to his leg. (Twitter: @joubertjoubert)
    A man is in a serious condition after suffering deep lacerations to his leg in a shark attack at Nambucca Heads on the New South Wales mid north coast.

    The man, believed to be in his 30s, was in the water near a breakwall when the attack happened around 7:00am.

    It is unknown whether the man was a swimmer or surfer.

    A NSW Ambulance spokesman said the man was treated at the scene for severe lacerations to his lower leg and "lost a lot of blood".

    He has been flown to John Hunter Hospital in a serious condition.

    A spokeswoman from the NSW Department of Primary Industries said authorities were not sure what type of shark was responsible for the attack.

    She said the man's injuries would be inspected to help determine the species.

    The beach at Nambucca Heads has been closed.

Thread Information

Users Browsing this Thread

There are currently 1 users browsing this thread. (0 members and 1 guests)

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •