A 13-year-old boy has been left in critical condition following a shark attack at Sydney Harbour in Australia, authorities said on Sunday.
The incident happened late in the afternoon at Shark Beach in the Vaucluse area of Sydney’s eastern suburbs. Police said the boy was swimming when he was attacked, suffering serious injuries to his leg believed to have been caused by a large shark.
Emergency services were alerted quickly, and officers were able to rescue the boy from the water within minutes. He was given immediate first aid on a police boat, including the application of tourniquets to control severe bleeding, before being taken to Sydney Children’s Hospital by paramedics. Hospital officials confirmed that he remains in critical condition.
Following the attack, Shark Beach was closed, and nearby beaches within the harbour were evacuated as a safety measure. Police advised swimmers to stay out of surrounding waters while the situation is being assessed.
Wildlife authorities have begun investigations to identify the shark species involved. The New South Wales government said experts are monitoring the area to prevent further incidents.
Reacting to the development, New South Wales Agriculture Minister Tara Moriarty described the incident as tragic and expressed sympathy to the boy, his family, and others who were with him at the time of the attack.
Australia has recorded more than 1,280 shark encounters since 1791, with over 250 resulting in deaths.
Scientists say increased human activity in coastal waters and rising ocean temperatures may be influencing shark movements and contributing to such incidents.
