The boy was understood to be jumping off rocks at the end of the beach when the attack happened.
The boy was understood to be jumping off rocks at the end of the beach when the attack happened.
A child is in a critical condition following a shark attack at one of the world’s most iconic beaches, with police confirming he was pulled from the water by officers after suffering serious injuries to his legs.
The boy, aged around 13, was understood to be jumping off rocks at the end of a beach in Sydney, Australia, when the shark struck. First responders confirmed they were called to the unfortunately-named Shark Beach in Sydney Harbour, at around 4.20pm Sunday.
New South Wales Police said told the Liverpool Echo: “Emergency services were called to Hermitage Foreshore Walk, Steele Point Road, Vaucluse, near Shark Beach, following reports of a boy being bitten by a shark.
“The boy, believed to be aged about 13, was rescued from the water off Shark Beach by officers from the Marine Area Command and Eastern Suburbs Police within minutes of the of the call being made to 000.”
The spokesperson added: “Water Police officer attached two medical tourniquets and was immediately given first aid on board the police vessel Water Police 41 for serious leg injuries before being transported to Rose Bay wharf, where NSW Ambulance Paramedics continued first aid.”
A New South Wales Ambulance spokesperson confirmed with “multiple resources” were in attendance, including an intensive care paramedic, aeromedical teams, and a helicopter.
“The patient, a teenage boy, with critical injuries to both of his legs, was transported to Sydney Children’s Hospital [in] Randwick in a critical condition,” the spokesperson said.
The boy’s injuries are consistent with a large shark, authorities confirmed.
Shark Bay is located in Sydney’s affluent, harbour-view suburb of Vaucluse. The beach is known for both its netted swimming area and open water, with shark attacks being incredibly rare in the ocean around Sydney.
The beach has since been closed, with swimmers in Sydney advised to avoid the water.
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