AUSTRALIA: Surfer injured in fourth shark attack in 48 hours

International

A SURFER was injured in the fourth shark attack reported along Australia’s New South Wales coastline in less than 48 hours, prompting authorities to close beaches and warn the public to stay out of the water.

The latest incident occurred on Tuesday morning near the Point Plomer campground on the NSW Mid North Coast, about 450 kilometres north of Sydney.

Police said the 39-year-old surfer sustained a wound to his chest after a shark bit his surfboard. He was taken to hospital for treatment and has since been released.

In a report by BBC, the attack follows three separate shark incidents in Sydney over the past two days.

On Sunday, a 12-year-old boy was critically injured at a popular Sydney Harbour beach. On Monday, another young surfer narrowly escaped injury at Dee Why Beach, while a separate attack at nearby Manly left a 27-year-old man with life-changing injuries.

In response, police have ordered the closure of beaches across Sydney’s northern areas until further notice. NSW Superintendent Joseph McNulty said recent heavy rainfall may have contributed to the surge in attacks by reducing water visibility and washing nutrients into coastal waters, attracting sharks closer to shore.

Surf Life Saving NSW chief executive Steve Pearce said the surfer injured near Point Plomer was “very fortunate” not to have been more seriously hurt. He urged the public to avoid swimming or surfing near river mouths, especially in dirty or murky water.

Authorities believe bull sharks were responsible for most of the recent attacks. Bull sharks are known to inhabit both freshwater and saltwater environments and are considered one of the more dangerous shark species to humans. Experts say they are commonly seen off the Sydney coast during the summer months when water temperatures suit them.

Despite Australia being a global hotspot for shark attacks, experts stress that the risk to individuals remains extremely low. However, scientists have described the cluster of attacks in NSW over such a short period as highly unusual. Police have reiterated warnings for people to avoid waterways across the state until conditions improve.(Georgia Olivar, USJ-R Comm Intern)