A 25-year-old Swiss woman has died after being attacked by a three-metre bull shark while swimming at Kylies Beach in Crowdy Bay National Park, New South Wales, on Thursday morning. Her partner, a 26-year-old man, was also injured when he tried to rescue her and was airlifted to John Hunter Hospital, where he remains in stable condition.
Police are reviewing GoPro footage from the scene to understand how the attack unfolded. According to NSW Ambulance Inspector Kirran Mowbray, the shark attacked the woman first, and her partner did everything he could to bring them both to shore. A bystander used her swimmers as a tourniquet on the man's leg, which Mowbray said essentially saved his life.
Surf Life Saving NSW reopened Kylies Beach and nearby North Haven and Crowdy Bay beaches on Friday afternoon after increased jetski and drone surveillance found no concerning marine life. Drones will continue to provide shark surveillance over the weekend, especially at Camden Haven and Crowdy Head.
Dr Brianna Le Busque, a researcher from the University of South Australia, described the incident as a horrific freak occurrence and cautioned against comparisons to the movie Jaws, stating there is no indication the shark will continue to bite humans. Experts noted that double attacks are unusual but can happen when sharks feel threatened or are hunting prey.
The Department of Primary Industries deployed five smart drumlines at Kylies Beach, which have not caught any sharks since the incident. No drone sightings of sharks have been reported in the area. The Swiss Consul General confirmed the death and injury of the two nationals and is providing consular support.
