Man, 23, dies after shark attack near Great Barrier Reef

Death marks latest incident in string of shark attacks over the past 18 months
The incident marks the latest in a series of shark attacks in the vicinity of the Great Barrier Reef over the past 18 months (file image)
Pixabay
David Child7 April 2020

A man has died after being attacked by a Great White Shark in waters near Australia's Great Barrier Reef.

The 23-year-old was swimming near North West Island, some 75 kilometres (46 miles) off the Queensland coast, on Monday when he suffered bites to his leg, hand and elbow.

A doctor and paramedics tried to stabilise the man so he could be flown to the state's Gladstone Hospital for surgery, but he died later on Monday night.

Queensland state Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said the man worked for the Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service.

"Once again a family out there is grieving for a young man who tragically has lost his life in this horrific shark attack," she told reporters.

Police said it was "not a social swim", indicating the victim had died while performing his job. A report will be prepared for the coroner.

The incident marks the latest in a series of shark attacks in the vicinity of the Great Barrier Reef over the past 18 months.

A nine-year-old girl was bitten in the leg during a separate attack nearby North West Island in early-January. A lemon shark was suspected of the attack, which the girl survived.

And in late December, a shovelnose shark bit a man in shallow waters off the island. He suffered minor injuries to his right hand and leg.

Australia's Great Barrier Reef is the largest coral reef system and the biggest living structure on the planet, but is under significant threat from climate change
Pixabay

Elsewhere in the region, last October, two British backpackers were attacked while snorkelling at Hook Island in the Whitsunday Islands. One of the men lost his foot.

In March last year, meanwhile, a 25-year-old man suffered serious thigh injuries when a shark attacked him at Hardy Reef, near Hamilton Island, also in the Whitsundays chain.

And in November 2018 a Victorian doctor, Daniel Christidis, 33, was killed at Cid Harbour at Whitsunday Island.

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