A 39-year-old father and experienced spearfisherman has been identified as the victim of a fatal shark attack on the Great Barrier Reef. Michael Jensz was diving with three friends at Kennedy Shoal, a remote reef system about 40 kilometers off the Cassowary Coast in far north Queensland, on Sunday morning.
It is understood Jensz was attempting to retrieve a catch lodged on the reef when the shark attacked. The group issued an SOS call to Queensland's Coast Guard shortly before midday, hauled him back onto the boat, and raced towards shore. Paramedics were waiting at the Hull River boat ramp near Cardwell, but Jensz's injuries were too severe and he could not be saved.
Friends and locals described Kennedy Shoal as known for its deep, dark waters, suitable only for experienced divers. While shark attacks in the area are considered rare, boaties reported seeing bull sharks in the water in the hours before the attack.
The tragedy marks the second shark-related death involving a spearfisherman in just over a week, following the death of 38-year-old Steven Mattaboni near Rottnest Island, Western Australia. Australia has now recorded three fatal shark attacks this year, prompting renewed warnings for people heading offshore to remain vigilant.
The incident has reignited debate over shark management in Queensland waters. Crossbench MP Bob Katter used the attack to renew calls for a shark cull, noting that Kennedy Shoal sits within a section of the Great Barrier Reef where no shark control equipment is operating.
