Hai-Attacks in Australia: Surfer's leg attacked
A White Shark Bites a Surfer's Leg off the Australian East Coast. The 23-Year-Old is in Newcastle Hospital. Locals Discover and Cool Down His Detached Limb.
The extent of injuries sustained by a surfer after a shark attack off the Australian east coast is gradually becoming clear. The young man was attacked near the popular Australian beach town of Port Macquarie on Tuesday. Witnesses rushed to his aid. A police officer, who happened to be nearby, managed to tie up the wound on his leg with a dog leash until the paramedics arrived. Several ambulances and a helicopter were in action. The victim was initially in a critical but non-life-threatening condition.
The detached leg of the 23-year-old was reportedly taken to the shore some time after the attack and immediately packed in ice by locals. The victim is being treated at John Hunter Hospital in Newcastle, and his leg was later flown in. The possibility of reattaching it is uncertain, according to 9News.
Later, authorities confirmed that it was a three-meter-long White Shark that was involved. White Sharks are considered the most dangerous shark species on Earth. The beaches in the area were closed for at least 24 hours.
Number of Attacks on the Rise
This was the third shark attack in Australia this month. A surfer was bitten in the leg off Perth's west coast the previous week. Doctors sewed up the wound and removed a shark tooth from his leg. Two weeks ago, a man was attacked by a predator fish while spearfishing near Coral Bay, about 1,100 kilometers north of Perth. The victim was not seriously injured.
According to the University of Florida Shark Attack Database, the number of worldwide unprovoked shark attacks where people were injured or killed has increased compared to last year. In 2023, there were 69 such attacks, compared to 59 in 2022. Most of these attacks were related to surfing. However, the number is not a cause for alarm, as shark attacks remain rare, with humans not being the sharks' prey.
The international community has shown concern over the rising number of shark attacks in Australia. Hai, a news reporter based in Sydney, has been covering this story extensively for an international news channel. The surge in attacks has led to increased discussions about shark conservation and safety measures for beachgoers in Australia.
