Sydney beaches shut after swimmer dies in first fatal shark attack in decades

[harrybarracuda]

A hunt is on for the great white shark that killed a swimmer in Australia with several beaches in Sydney now closed including Bondi and Bronte as a precaution on Thursday.

The swimmer was mauled to death by a giant shark on Wednesday - the first such fatality at the city's beaches in nearly 60 years.

Drum lines, which are used to bait sharks, have been set up near the attack site while drones have been deployed as officials search if the shark is still in the area.

A video shared online showed a shark attacking a person on Wednesday afternoon off Little Bay beach, about 12 miles south of Australia's largest city and near the entrance to Botany Bay.

Police have not yet disclosed the identity of the swimmer.

Sydney beaches shut after swimmer dies in first fatal shark attack in decades - World News - Mirror Online

[Edmond]

A Brit as well.



Smelled him a mile off?

[Headworx]

Just watched the video, not good. How many people have gone swimming in Sydney in the last 60 years that lived to tell the tale, this poor bloke was the world's most unlucky man.

[BLD]

Even more unlucky than that prime minister we had that went swimming and never came back.

[VocalNeal]

Unlucky RIP

[prawnograph]

a slight meander off topic, but I'll get there . . .

Murray Rose Malabar Magic Ocean Swim cancelled
Ocean Swims
17 February 2022

Following the tragic incident at Little Bay on Wednesday 16th February, the organising committee for the Murray Rose Malabar Magic Ocean Swim advises that this Sunday’s event has been cancelled for 2022.

The organising committee extends our thoughts and prayers to the family of the swimmer who was so tragically taken yesterday. Out of respect for the swimmer and his family, and following wide consultation with Randwick Council and experienced, senior Surf Life Saving personnel, we believe that cancelling the 2022 swim is appropriate.

Over the 14 years of the event, the Malabar Magic has grown from the early passion and vision of Olympic Legend Murray Rose to become a celebration of inclusion and swimming across the broader community. Through generous donations, fundraising and entry fees our swimming community and corporate supporters have already raised over $128,000 for Rainbow Club. These funds will enable Rainbow Club to open 10 new swimming clubs in the coming year to meet the growing demand for our service.

Iain Murray Rose, AM (6 January 1939 – 15 April 2012) was an Australian swimmer, actor, sports commentator and marketing executive. He was a six-time Olympic medalist (four gold, one silver, one bronze), and at one time held the world records in the 400-metre, 800-metre, and 1500-metre freestyle (long course). He made his Olympic debut at the 1956 Summer Olympics as a 17-year-old and won three Olympic medals, all gold. Four years later, as a 21-year-old, he won three Olympic medals (one gold, one silver, one bronze) at the 1960 Summer Olympics

[Bonecollector]

Probably for the best. The way this white pointer came back again and again does not bode well for anyone else getting into the ocean.

Poor guy

[prawnograph]

In February 2009 I flew to Australia to compete in a series of ocean swimming events, including the two Sydney Harbour Classic races.
The Sydney visit was almost a no-go. The two events start and finish off the Opera House steps, beautiful location with the OH and bridge as a backdrop.

Underwater patrols to protect Harbour swimmers
Posted Fri 27 Feb 2009
Underwater patrols and shark spotters are some of the measures being taken to protect competitors in this Sunday's Sydney Harbour Swim. More than 500 entrants are expected to take part in the event, which starts on the Opera House steps.

Two weeks ago navy diver Paul de Gelder was attacked by a shark in the Harbour.

Event organiser Adam Wilson says he is taking extra precautions this year to allay public fears. "We've got a lot of boats around so they make quite a lot of noise in the morning," he said. "We've put some extra spotters this year just to appease anybody's concerns on top of the Opera House steps so they can have a look at the course. "We also have divers who'll do a swim before the course to have a look at what's under there."

Navy diver de Gelder lost an arm and a leg to a 2.7m bull shark. Surfer Glen Orgias, 33, had his hand nearly severed at Bondi Beach the following day.

On the morning of the first race, 1 March, a 15-year-old boy suffered severe leg lacerations and was in a stable condition after being attacked by a shark at Avalon Beach in Sydney's north about 6.45am.



No worries. Into the water, what i found most off-putting was the divers underneath, blurry black shapes through goggles in a stirred-up sea. helicopters overhead and various boats and IRBs following us. These pics online 2009 news sites

Feeding time


After the second race and prizegiving i was invited to meet with Murray Rose as I'd been announced as 'our competitor from New Zealand' - top guy, though admit i didn't know who he was until afterwards. He was about 70 then and had swum in the shorter opening race.

Unrelated, in October 2009 I got to compete in a green and gold cap for an Australian team (unofficial, they had a late withdrawal and brought me in - a Melbourne grandfather!) in a surflifesaving competition, just briefly, I became an honorary Australian.

[Backspin]

A Brit as well.



Smelled him a mile off?

didn't think that limey taste would be of interest to them

[prawnograph]

Just one more, the last fatality was way back in 1963



Old timers would recall the last fatal attack in the North Arm of Sugarloaf Bay back in 1963. Actress Marcia Hathaway was paddling in 75 centimetres of water and bitten twice on the leg before her fiancé, Fred Knight was able to fight off the shark. With the rest of their boating party, he tied tourniquets ripped from sheets to try to stop the bleeding, carried her back to their cruiser and motored towards Castlecrag boatshed.

Long term resident John Vaughan recalls being down on Sugarloaf Point with his family that day, “I saw the 28’ cabin cruiser, VALETTA pass our pontoon motoring around to Castlecrag Boatshed with the wounded Miss Hathaway on board. If only those aboard had indicated distress we could have telephoned an ambulance to be waiting at the Castlecrag Boatshed.”

The story goes that as they rounded Sugarloaf Point, Fred swam ashore to one of the houses on the Point, presumably around the corner from the Vaughans, frantically urging them to phone for an ambulance to be sent down to the boatshed. Upon arrival she was transferred, but tragically the ambulance could not make it back up the steep hill. The clutch burnt out – locals tried desperately to push the van up the hill but it was in vain. She was carried up in the stretcher by a team of locals to wait for a second ambulance, but it was too late for Marcia.

[malmomike77]

this poor bloke was the world's most unlucky man.

Brits are doing well on the unlucky front this year. There was the bloke in the USA who got shot by a stray bullet when in bed in his apartment with his girlfriend some 300 yds away from the shooter.