Second Australia shark attack

Surfer survives shark attack

Surfer survives shark attackAnother surfer was seriously injuredin Australia's second shark attack this month . The man was surfing off the coast of north Sydney when the attack happened. He was brought to shore by two lifeguards and taken to the hospital .

A 26-year-old man has been bitten by a shark off the WA coast, becoming the second person to be attacked in Australian waters in two days.
The new victim, reported by to be a 26-year-old tour operator, was bitten today while swimming near Coral Bay, an idyllic vacation spot 1137km north of Perth.

Witnesses told police said the shark was a 3m tiger shark, a large species considered dangerous to humans.

A spokeswoman for The Royal Flying Doctor said the patient was expected to be flown to Perth for treatment for a non-life-threatening bite to his arm.

News of the attack came as it emerged that a shark which attacked a 44-year-old surfer at a popular beach on Australia's east coast yesterday would have swum past shark nets - put in place in a bid to protect people in the water.
Tattoo artist Glen "Lennie" Folkard was bitten on the thigh by a two metre shark - which locals believe was either a baby great white or a bull shark - about 4:40pm while surfing at Redhead Beach, near Newcastle north of Sydney.

He screamed for help and climbed back on his board, bleeding heavily - then paddled to safety while the shark gave chase and fellow surfers tried to help.

He underwent surgery for a deep laceration to his leg on Wednesday night and was in a stable condition today

Roughly 24km of the eastern coastline, closed to beachgoers in the wake of the attack, was reopened today, with the local council announcing extra helicopter and jet ski patrols to watch for sharks.

The NSW Department of Primary Industries also confirmed that shark nets were in place at the beach when the attack occurred.

The great white shark struck 500 yards north of Rottnest Island, which is 11 miles from a popular Perth city mainland beach where a 64-year-old swimmer is believed to have been taken by a great white on October 10.
Last night, local police was interviewing witnesses so a report can be prepared for the coroner.
It is understood the American citizen was on a work visa and had been living near the coast, at North Beach.
Greg Trew, Water Police Senior Sergeant said the American had surfaced in “a flurry of bubbles” with horrific injuries, the Sydney Morning Herald reported.
The American diver was believed to be dead when hauled aboard by his two companions.
Sergeant Greg Trew said the shark was seen by the man’s two companions as they were leaving the area after retrieving his body.
“It’s traumatic for everyone involved, it’s a tragic situation,” the sergeant said.
Authorities were trying to contact his family and have closed off the beaches on the popular resort island.
Officials cannot say whether the man was killed by the same shark that is believed to have taken Bryn Martin as he made his regular morning swim from Perth’s premier Cottesloe Beach toward a buoy about 380 yards offshore.
An analysis of Bryn Martin’s torn swimming trunks recovered from the seabed near the buoy pointed to a great white shark being the culprit. No other trace of Bryn Martin has been found.
Western Australia Police Sergeant Gerry Cassidy said:
“It’s a cloudy old day today which is the same as we had the other day with Cottesloe, and they’re the conditions that sharks love.”
The unnamed American is the fourth person to be killed by a shark off the Western Australian coast in 14 months.
Great white sharks can grow to more than 20 feet in length and 5,000 pounds in weight. They are protected in Australia, a primary location for the species.