Australia faced yet another shark attack on Tuesday after a surfer at Point Plomer on the New South Wales mid-north coast was bitten. It's the fourth reported shark incident in just three days in the country.
According to New York Post, the attack happened mid-mourning. The shark first hit the man's board and left him with only minor cuts. Surf Life Saving captain Matt Worrall said the victim was "lucky to survive" because "the board seemed to take most of the impact." Worrall also added, "He made his own way into shore where he was assisted by locals."
The Point Plomer attack adds to a grim week in the country that started around Sydney. On Sunday, a 12-year-old boy was critically injured near Shark Beach in Vaucluse. Just a day later, another young surfer escaped injury at Dee Why when a shark chomped his board. New South Wales fisheries staff said a "large" 15-centimeter bite was taken out of it.
Shark Attack
They believe it was a bull shark to blame.
Then on Monday evening, a surfer in his 20s was attacked off North Steyne Beach at Manly. According to police, bystanders dragged the surfer from the water. Paramedics then rushed him to the hospital in critical condition. That's a lot of shark action packed into just a couple days. If I were in Sydney right now, I'd probably stick to the beach.
It's best to practice proper precautions. Officials seem to agree. They've responded with beach closures and increased monitoring of the areas. They believe that heavy rains have reduced the clarity in the water. This has made for an increased number of bull shark attacks. They're using drones to try to identify a shark before another attack.
"If anyone's thinking of heading into the surf this morning anywhere along the northern beaches, think again. We have such poor water quality that's really conducive to some bull shark activity," Surf Life Saving NSW chief executive Steve Pearce said. "If you're thinking about going for a swim, just go to a local pool because at this stage, we're advising that beaches are unsafe."
