A 13-year-old boy was left in critical condition after a brutal shark attack in Sydney Harbour on Sunday afternoon, authorities confirmed.
The boy was swimming near Shark Beach in Sydney’s eastern suburb of Vaucluse when he was mauled by the shark. Police said the attack happened in the late afternoon and described the injuries as consistent with a large shark bite.
Officers responded within minutes and pulled the injured boy from the water. He was treated onboard a police vessel for serious leg injuries, with officers applying two tourniquets to control bleeding.
Paramedics later transported the boy to Sydney Children’s Hospital, where he remains in critical condition.
Police have urged the public to stay out of nearby waters as a precaution. Shark Beach was closed immediately following the incident, and surrounding harbour beaches were evacuated, according to state officials.
Wildlife experts are working to identify the shark species involved. New South Wales Agriculture Minister Tara Moriarty called the incident tragic and said authorities’ thoughts were with the boy, his family, and others who witnessed the attack.
Shark attacks in Australia have been increasing, with more than 1,280 recorded incidents since 1791, over 250 of them fatal, according to national data. Scientists suggest rising ocean temperatures and increasingly crowded coastal waters may be influencing shark behaviour and migration patterns.
The incident follows several recent fatal encounters, including the death of a surfer in northern Sydney in September and a woman killed by a bull shark at a remote beach north of the city two months later.
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