According to police, a surfer who was attacked by a shark off Australia's east coast is in critical condition in the hospital.
The 44-year-old guy was surfing close to Lighthouse Beach in Port Macquarie when a shark commenced a "sustained and prolonged attack," according to a statement from New South Wales (NSW) police.
The surfer struggled with the shark for almost 30 seconds before swimming back to land and realizing the severity of his wounds, according to CNN regional affiliate 9News.
Before paramedics sent the surfer in serious condition to Port Macquarie Hospital, a bystander, according to police, applied a tourniquet, as reported by CNN.
According to a Facebook post from Port Macquarie Hastings ALS Lifeguards, Lighthouse Beach will be closed for at least 24 hours. The team added that a drone will be used for surveillance flights to keep an eye on shark activity nearby.
According to Surf Life Saving NSW, experts from the Department of Primary Industries (Fisheries) have started looking into the event.
According to the Florida Museum's International Shark Attack File, Australia was second only to the US in terms of unannounced shark encounters with people in 2016.
The term "unprovoked bites" refers to occurrences in which a shark bites a human in its natural environment without being provoked by a human. The term "provoked bites" refers to situations in which a human initiates contact with a shark in some way.
Seven injuries and one fatality were reported as a result of 10 shark encounters in New South Wales in 2022, according to the Australian Shark Incident Database.
Read also: Shark Attack: Two Tourist Women Killed By Sharks on Egypt's Red Sea Coast
Shark Attacks in Australia
Australia has a long history of shark attacks. In fact, it is the country with the highest number of shark attacks in the world. According to the International Shark Attack File, there have been over 670 shark attacks in Australia since 1791, resulting in 270 deaths.
The most common sharks involved in attacks in Australia are bull sharks, tiger sharks, and great white sharks. These sharks are all large and powerful predators that are found in coastal waters around Australia.
Shark attacks in Australia can happen at any time of year, but they are most common during the summer months when people are more likely to be swimming and surfing in the ocean.
The most recent shark attack in Australia occurred on February 28, 2023, off the coast of Esperance in Western Australia. A 23-year-old man was attacked while surfing and sustained serious injuries to his leg. He was airlifted to the hospital in critical condition but has since been released.
The number of shark attacks in Australia has been increasing in recent years. In 2022, there have been 11 unprovoked shark attacks, compared to 10 in 2021 and 8 in 2020.
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