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 kilometres 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 said Kennedy Shoal is known for its deep, dark waters and is only suited to experienced divers.
While shark attacks in the area are considered rare, boaties from the local area 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 from authorities for people heading offshore to remain vigilant. The incident has also reignited debate over shark management in Queensland waters, with crossbench MP Bob Katter renewing calls for a shark cull.
During a press conference in Canberra, Katter held up an image of former shark attack victim Glenn Dickson, who lost a leg near Hinchinbrook Island almost a decade ago. Kennedy Shoal sits within a section of the Great Barrier Reef where no shark control equipment is operating.
