Yet another tragic death occurred at Kylies Beach on the New South Wales mid-north coast. A female swimmer has unfortunately lost her life, and her male friend is currently in critical condition. The tragedy has brought to the fore issues surrounding the growing prevalence of shark encounters across Australia’s beaches.
Passenger accounts from the day of the attack illustrated the horrifying scene. The two men, who were friends, had gone in to swim together. Quick actions by bystanders helped provide immediate care while NSW Ambulance paramedics were on the way. Their diligence was honorable and admirable. Sadly, they lost the woman who died from her injuries at the scene.
A spokesperson for the Department of Primary Industries confirmed, “a female swimmer has died and a male has been severely injured as a result of the incident.” The adult male swimmer was later airlifted to John Hunter Hospital, where he is still in critical condition.
Following the attack, Kylies Beach has been closed while authorities carry out an investigation. Police have been supported by specialists from the State Department of Primary Industries. Together, they hope to establish what species of shark was involved in this unfortunate occurrence.
Prof Charlie Huveneers, director of Flinders University’s Marine and Coastal Research Consortium, discussed the broader implications of shark attacks in Australia. “Broadly speaking, across Australia and over the last two decades, there’s been an increase in the number of shark bites,” he stated. Just this year, we have seen five shark bite related deaths around the country.
As of 2023, based on historical averages, there have only been four fatal attacks from sharks — ever. Further, the total of unprovoked bites rose by 10 from the year before. In 2020, Australia recorded seven unprovoked fatal attacks—an especially rare stat. Statistics like these underscore a serious and unprecedented decline in marine safety.
Emeritus Professor Rob Harcourt from Macquarie University said there were all sorts of reasons for increased shark encounters. Population increases on our coasts, climate change, and loss of habitat are just some of the huge issues we’re up against. He concluded with the point that humans can make rapid, dramatic changes to impact shark behavior for the better. These same changes result in more frequent encounters with swimmers.
For example, New South Wales takes a more proactive approach in managing populations of sharks. They use a comprehensive, real-time shark management alert system to make these efforts even more effective. This reproducible and non-lethal shark strategy uses baited hooks to attract sharks to be tagged. When an animal is caught, operators receive an alert as soon as it happens. They can get to the site in an average of 17 minutes.
Steve Pearce released a statement offering thoughts and prayers to families of those killed in the tragic circumstance. “This is a terrible tragedy and our deepest condolences go to the families of the woman and man involved,” he said. Lastly, he reported that officials are using drone technology for aerial surveillance. They asked community members to keep off the impacted shores to help protect public health.