There have been three separate shark attacks in the area of Sydney’s northern beaches in 26 hours. In Manly, a 20‑year-old surfer was attacked and severely bitten on the lower leg at about 6:20 p.m.; he was pulled ashore by passers-by and rushed to Royal North Shore Hospital in critical condition. Earlier in the day, an 11‑year—old boy was knocked off a board by a large predator at Cape Di Wai ‑ bite marks remained on its surface, and on Sunday, a 12-year-old child was bitten on Shark Beach in Voxlas outside the fenced area.
Authorities have closed all beaches on the North Shore until further notice, rescuers have put up warning signs, are patrolling the waters on jet skis and launched a drone to search for a shark. Due to the influx of fresh water and large waves, visibility deteriorated, which, according to police and experts, could attract sharks closer to shore. Experts from the Department of Primary Production suggested that the culprit was a bull shark: a bite mark of about 15 cm was found on the board of one of the victims.
January and February are considered the peak season of bull shark activity in the region, so authorities warn against swimming in murky or low-visibility water and ask to refrain from visiting harbors and rivers until conditions improve; operations of some safety systems (smart drumlines) were hampered due to heavy seas.
