It was the fourth known fatal shark attack in the country this year. (Representative)
Brisbane:
A man died on Saturday after being attacked by a shark while hunting off the east coast of Australia, police said.
The 36-year-old man was bitten on one leg in the waters near the popular tourist destination of Fraser Island, about 400 kilometers (250 miles) north of Brisbane.
A nurse and a doctor treated the man on the ground before the paramedics arrived, but he died from his injuries at the scene, police said.
Police did not identify the species of shark. It was the fourth known fatal shark attack in the country this year.
“This (is) an extremely sad day for our community,” said Fraser Coast mayor George Seymour on Facebook.
“Our deepest condolences go out to the family and friends of this young man.”
Shark expert Daryl McPhee told The Courier Mail that Fraser Island is a “key spawning ground for migratory fish” that attract sharks.
“It is not surprising that there is an unprovoked shark bite there; it is perhaps more surprising that people actually dive into it,” said McPhee, associate professor of environmental science at Bond University.
Last month, a 60-year-old surfer died after being maimed by a three-meter (nearly 10-foot) shark south of Brisbane.
Australia has one of the highest rates of shark attacks in the world, but deaths are rare.
(With the exception of the title, this story was not edited by GalacticGaming staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
