A 13-year-old boy is in critical condition following a shark attack at a beach in Sydney, Australia. The incident occurred around 16:20 local time on Sunday when the boy was jumping on rocks near the harbor. He was attacked by a large shark, prompting one of his friends to leap into the water to rescue him, as stated by authorities.
New South Wales Police Superintendent Joseph McNulty reported that two other friends helped drag the injured boy back to safety on the rock platform. “Those young men are brave under those circumstances,” McNulty commented, acknowledging the distressing nature of the injuries they witnessed. “But I suppose that’s mateship,” he added, highlighting the bond among the teens during the crisis.
Emergency responders arrived shortly thereafter, with a police boat arriving minutes after the attack. Officers quickly applied two tourniquets to the boy’s legs and began performing CPR as they transported him across the wharf for medical assistance. According to McNulty, “The boy had lost his pulse. There was a large blood loss, and the double tourniquet stemmed that flow of blood loss yesterday and has contributed to saving his life.”
Witnesses described the scene as chaotic, noting that officers arrived “covered in blood.” NSW Ambulance Inspector Giles Buchanan explained that the medical team intubated the boy to manage his breathing and facilitated blood circulation during the journey to the hospital. “It was touch and go the entire time,” Buchanan remarked.
The boy was taken to a local hospital, where he underwent surgery overnight. Meanwhile, local officials are actively investigating the species of shark involved in the attack, with preliminary speculation suggesting it may have been a bull shark, known to populate Sydney Harbour during the summer months, particularly from January to February.
McNulty noted the environmental conditions that could have contributed to the attack, stating, “The combination of the brackish water, the fresh water, and the actions of the splashing may have made that perfect storm environment for that shark attack.”
As the community reacts to this alarming incident, the focus remains on the recovery of the injured teen and the ongoing investigation into the circumstances surrounding the attack.
