A 39-year-old man has died after being attacked by a shark off the coast of Far North Queensland, Australia.
The man had travelled by boat with four others to Kennedy Shoal near Hull Heads Beach on the Cassowary Coast, around 160 kilometres south of Cairns. The group was reportedly about 30 kilometres offshore when the incident occurred.
Authorities believe the attack happened in waters where bull sharks had been spotted earlier that day. After the attack, the injured man was rushed back to shore, where paramedics were waiting at the Hull River boat ramp. Despite emergency treatment efforts, he died from his injuries on the jetty shortly after midday.
Local resident Jeffery Briggs described the scene at the boat ramp as chaotic, saying police had quickly arrived at the location.
Kennedy Shoal is known as a popular area for spearfishing. Charter boat operator Gererd Pike said he had seen several aggressive bull sharks in the same area earlier that day.
“I was out close to there today and saw bull sharks feeding aggressively near the boat,” Pike said.
Officials have not confirmed whether the group was spearfishing at the time of the incident or whether a bull shark was responsible for the fatal attack.
Hull Heads is located south of Mission Beach and is a popular destination for snorkelling, scuba diving and visits to nearby tropical islands.
This marks Australia’s third fatal shark attack of the year. Authorities will prepare a report on the incident for the coroner.