A woman has died and a man has been seriously injured after a large bull shark attacked them at Kylies Beach in Crowdy Bay, New South Wales, early Thursday morning. The pair, both in their 20s, were swimming together when they were bitten, according to police.
Emergency services were called to the remote beach around 6:30 am. The woman died at the scene, while the man suffered serious injuries to his leg. A bystander applied a makeshift tourniquet, which NSW Ambulance Superintendent Joshua Smyth said potentially saved his life. The man was airlifted to John Hunter Hospital in critical condition and later upgraded to serious but stable.
Police Chief Inspector Timothy Bayly confirmed that the Department of Primary Industries identified a large bull shark as the likely attacker based on forensic analysis. Bull sharks are often found close to shore and in warmer waters, increasing the likelihood of encounters with swimmers, said Professor Rob Harcourt of Macquarie University.
Five smart drumlines were deployed at Kylies Beach to potentially catch the shark. The beach previously lacked shark-detection technology. Surf Life Saving NSW closed Kylies and nearby beaches for at least 24 hours, with drones monitoring the area. The coastline is unpatrolled, and the nearest surf club is at Crowdy Head.
This incident marks the fifth shark bite fatality in Australia this year. In 2024, there were 13 unprovoked bites with no fatalities. Experts note that while fatalities have declined per capita due to faster emergency responses and first aid training, shark bites have become more common over the past two decades, attributed to factors like coastal population growth and climate change.
