14-year-old dies after shark attack
A surfing trip to the south coast of Australia ends fatally for a teenager: the 14-year-old is attacked by a shark. His family probably had to watch the whole thing from the beach. As similar attacks are becoming more frequent in the region, calls for more protection for bathers are growing louder.
A young surfer has died in a shark attack off the coast of South Australia. The teenager was pulled lifeless from the water on Ethel Beach in Innes National Park, west of the city of Adelaide, with serious injuries, police said.
The victim was 14 years old, the ABC reported. The boy was around 40 meters from the coast at the time, according to other media reports. Sharks had only been spotted in the area two days ago. They may have been hunting, as there are currently large schools of salmon in the waters. "I've seen a few sharks here in 22 years, but this was the first fatal attack here," a local surfer told ABC.
The victim had traveled with his family from Adelaide, around 300 kilometers away, for a surfing trip, the 9News channel reported. The family members may have witnessed the attack from the shore. Ethel Beach, which is around 450 meters long and located on the Yorke Peninsula, is very popular with surfers and is particularly popular during the summer vacations.
Third fatal shark attack this year
It was the third fatal shark attack in the state of South Australia this year - a few months ago, two men were fatally injured in shark attacks. Their bodies were never recovered. In November, a 32-year-old woman was attacked by a shark off the coast of South Australia and seriously injured in the head. In October, a 64-year-old woman survived an attack with serious injuries to her leg.
In view of the increase in attacks, there have been calls for more protection for surfers and bathers in the region. Unlike in other states, no water traps or nets are used in South Australia to keep sharks away, as reported by ABC. However, there are patrols with aerial surveillance. The Greens in the region have called for the state to subsidize shark repellents for swimmers.
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The international community is expressing concern over the increasing number of shark attacks in Australia, particularly in South Australia. The Australian government is under pressure to implement more safety measures for beachgoers and surfers to prevent further fatalities.
Since the start of the year, there have been three fatal shark attacks in South Australia, underscoring the need for international cooperation in developing strategies to manage shark populations and protect human lives.
Source: www.ntv.de
