A woman has died and a man was seriously injured after a shark attack while swimming at the beach in Crowdy Bay National Park on Australia's east coast, police said, quoted by the Associated Press, reports BTA.
The incident occurred at around 6:30 this morning in the popular park, known for its campsites, fishing areas and walking trails, about 360 kilometers north of Sydney. Beaches in the area and further north have been closed to swimmers indefinitely, said Police Inspector Timothy Bailey.
The victim and the injured man are about 25 years old. A passerby provided first aid to the couple before ambulances arrived. The woman died at the scene, while the man was airlifted to hospital, where paramedic Josh Smith described his condition as serious but stable. Their identities have not been released, with media reports suggesting they are likely European tourists.
“This is an extremely rare case. Shark attacks on one person are rare, and two people by the same shark are even rarer“, said Gavin Naylor, director of the University of Florida's shark research program and head of the International Shark Attack File.
Such cases are known, but they are rare. In 2019, two British tourists were attacked by a shark while snorkeling in the Great Barrier Reef; one lost a leg and the other suffered serious leg injuries. In September, a fatal shark attack on a surfer was also recorded near a beach in Sydney, with parts of his surfboard found.