Boy fighting for life after Australia shark attack as officials praise ‘brave’ friends who jumped in to save him

Police in Australia warned people to stay out of the Sydney Harbour after a 12-year-old boy was left critically injured in a shark attack as his friends risked their lives to pull him out of water.

The police said heavy rain and runoff had created a “perfect storm” of murky, low-visibility water before the incident.

The boy was bitten on Sunday afternoon near Shark Beach at Nielsen Park while jumping from a popular rock ledge with friends outside the area protected by shark nets. On Monday, he remained in critical condition in the hospital with severe injuries to both legs.

The New South Wales (NSW) police marine area command superintendent Joe McNulty said a police speedboat was nearby and reached the scene within minutes.

An officer applied two tourniquets to the boy’s legs to stem severe bleeding while other officers performed CPR as he was taken by boat to Rose Bay, where ambulance crews were waiting.

“The actions of his mates who’ve gone into the water and pulled him out have been nothing but brave,” Mr McNulty said.

“All I can say is the actions between police and the team who were doing CPR at the time were extraordinary. It was a textbook recovery to give this boy a fighting chance for survival.”

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The boy, who was unconscious when first responders arrived, was later intubated to assist his breathing.

Police and fisheries officials believe the attack was most likely carried out by a bull shark, though the Department of Primary Industries said the species could not be confirmed based on injuries alone.

Mr McNulty said environmental conditions following a weekend of heavy rain were a key concern.

“The harbour as you know is brackish, it’s full of fresh water at the moment due to the amount of rain we’ve had,” he said.

“We believe a combination of the brackish water, the fresh water and the action of the splashing may have made that perfect storm environment for that shark attack.”

Police urged people to avoid swimming in Sydney Harbour and nearby river systems while water visibility remains poor.

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NSW SharkSmart, the government's comprehensive programme to reduce shark bite risks, said beaches in the vicinity of Nielsen Park, including Shark Bay Beach and Camp Cove, remained closed, and confirmed a shark sighting in the area on Monday afternoon prompted further evacuations.

The attack was followed by two further shark incidents across Sydney beaches within 24 hours, heightening concern among authorities.

On Monday morning, an 11-year-old boy surfing at Dee Why Beach on the city’s northern beaches escaped unharmed after a shark bit his surfboard several times, tearing a chunk from the board’s mid-section.

Northern Beaches Council lifeguards immediately closed the beach, erected warning signs and launched jet ski and drone patrols. A piece of the board was sent to NSW Fisheries to help identify the shark.

Later on Monday evening, a man was left in critical condition after being bitten by a shark at Manly Beach, marking the third shark attack in the city in two days.

NSW Ambulance said intensive care paramedics were treating the man at the scene, with a helicopter deployed overhead.

Officials said heavy swell had also prevented the operation of smart drumlines along much of the NSW coast, limiting shark detection efforts.

Since 2020, Australia has recorded 23 fatal shark attacks, though experts stress the risk remains low compared with the number of people entering the ocean each year.

Police said investigations into Sunday’s harbour attack were continuing and asked people to avoid swimming in murky water, particularly after rainfall, at dawn or dusk, or near areas where fish are congregating.