A 27-year-old surfer from Wollongong is off life support after a shark attack at Manly Beach on Monday evening. The man was in cardiac arrest when emergency crews arrived and required CPR after suffering a severe leg bite. He was given 13 units of blood while being transported to Royal North Shore Hospital.
Superintendent John Duncan of the Northern Beaches Police Area Command described the injuries as 'probably life-changing.' Witnesses reported hearing the man shout 'shark' before the attack occurred about 40 metres off the beach at approximately 6:15 pm.
Christie Marks from NSW Ambulance noted that a doctor who happened to be swimming at the beach assisted in the initial treatment. The man's condition has been upgraded from critical to stable.
The attack is the third in Sydney in two days, following incidents at Dee Why and Vaucluse. An 11-year-old surfer had his board bitten at Dee Why, and a 12-year-old boy was attacked while swimming in Sydney Harbour. A fourth person was injured off Limeburners Creek national park north of Port Macquarie.
Scientists from the Department of Primary Industries believe a bull shark was responsible based on bite characteristics. The department has deployed additional smart drumlines and advises the community to stay out of the water due to recent heavy rain increasing shark activity.
Northern Beaches Mayor Sue Heins thanked first responders and noted that beaches remain closed. The community is still grieving the loss of surfer Mercury Psillakis, who was killed by a great white shark at Long Reef in September.
