Tiger sharks swim perilously close to bathers
Officials had to close Mullaloo beach in Perth, Western Australia for the second time in a week on Monday 9 January after a tiger shark was spotted swimming close to shore. Check out this video, taken from a drone.
A 16-year-old girl has died after a shark mauled her while swimming in Australia’s Swan River, with only a teenager diving in to save her as others watched in horror.
“A female was injured after being bitten by an unknown species of shark at approximately 3.35pm on 4 February 2023,” the Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development (DPIRD) said of the incident.
“The DPIRD is working with WA Police and local authorities to coordinate responses. A DPIRD Fisheries vessel is in the water monitoring the area and DPIRD officers are conducting shore patrols.”
The girl, who has not been named, was water skiing with her friends when she spotted a pod of dolphins and tried to swim with them, ABC News (Australia) reported. Instead, she found a shark that bit her leg.
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Witnesses say a young man jumped in to retrieve the girl, with many describing him as a hero. A witness suggested that the young man could have been the girl’s boyfriend.
A lady casts a crab net from the banks of the Swan River on January 22, 2022 in Perth, Australia.
(Photo by Paul Kane/Getty Images)
Paramedics rushed to the scene but were unable to save the girl, who suffered serious leg injuries. Both the species of the shark and the full nature of the girl’s injuries remain unreported.
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This is the first death in the river in a century, with the only other confirmed fatal attack occurring on January 31, 1923.
“It’s an extremely traumatic event for everyone involved and everyone who knew the girl, so I won’t go into the extent of the injuries,” Acting Fremantle District Inspector Paul Robinson said, describing the incident as ” tragic”.
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“It’s unusual for a shark to be found so far up the river,” he continued. “At this point a warning has been issued, a shark warning just to let people know that this incident has taken place.”
Sarah Jackson, Sam Rowe, Lachlan Alexander and Monica Lewis enjoy a drink and swim in the Swan River in South Perth on January 22, 2022 in Perth, Australia.
(Photo by Paul Kane/Getty Images)
Robinson also noted that the girl’s family were reportedly not present at the time, but have since been notified and are “absolutely devastated.”
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“However they were his friends and as you can imagine this is an extremely traumatic incident for anyone to testify, so obviously, we are offering counseling services to anyone who witnessed or was affected by the incident,” he said.
Authorities have urged the public to “exercise extra caution in the Swan River in the North Fremantle area,” according to News.com.au.
