SYDNEY — A woman was seriously injured in a shark attack while swimming off Sydney’s Coogee Beach on Saturday, prompting beach closures and a review of shark-monitoring measures, authorities said.
Emergency services were called to the popular beach in Sydney’s eastern suburbs shortly before 11:15 a.m. local time after reports that a swimmer had been bitten by a large shark about 30 meters (100 feet) from shore, according to New South Wales Police and ambulance officials. The victim, identified by authorities only as a 35-year-old woman, suffered severe injuries to her arms and legs and was taken to St. Vincent’s Hospital for treatment.
Police said members of the public pulled the woman from the water and began first aid before emergency crews arrived. Ambulance Inspector Mike Corlis told reporters at the scene that the victim had “large flesh wounds” and would require extensive surgery.
Witnesses described a rapid emergency response involving lifeguards, off-duty medical personnel and rescue crews. According to authorities, tourniquets were applied on the beach before the woman was transported to hospital.
Lifeguard Charlie Verco, who assisted in the rescue, told local media he saw the shark emerge near the swimmer. “I saw the shark come out of the water and just the size of it shocked me,” Verco said. He said rescuers reached the woman and brought her back to shore.
Following the attack, authorities closed Coogee Beach and nearby beaches including Clovelly and Bronte as a precaution while officials monitored the area for shark activity. Randwick City Council and emergency services conducted aerial and marine patrols, while state authorities considered additional surveillance measures.
The incident renewed attention on shark safety along Australia’s coastline. Experts and government officials described such attacks as rare but said the state would review restrictions affecting drone operations used to detect sharks near swimming areas. New South Wales Agriculture Minister Tara Moriarty said authorities would examine options to improve monitoring and public safety.
As of Sunday, the woman remained in critical but stable condition in hospital, according to health and emergency officials. Authorities had not formally identified the species involved, though investigations into the attack were continuing. Some beaches in Sydney’s eastern suburbs remained closed while safety assessments were carried out.
