The 39-year-old man from Cairns was rushed ashore after being bitten near Kennedy Shoal, a shallow reef around 28 miles off the coast of Queensland, in the second fatal shark attack in Australia in just over a week
A man has tragically lost his life following a shark attack on the Great Barrier Reef in Australia.
The 39-year-old man passed away on Sunday, marking the second fatal shark attack in Australia in just over a week. The man was bitten near Kennedy Shoal, a shallow reef approximately 28 miles off the coast of Queensland in northeast Australia.
He was diving from a boat with three mates during a spearfishing trip when calamity struck. A spokesperson for the Queensland Police Service stated the man was hurriedly brought to shore where an ambulance was waiting, but despite the best efforts of medics he died shortly afterwards.
“The man had been spearfishing when he was attacked and died from a critical head injury,” Police Inspector Elaine Burns informed reporters, reports the Mirror.
The victim, a resident of Cairns, was transported by boat around noon to the tourist town of Hull Heads where paramedics were on standby. He had “sustained injuries not compatible with life”, the ambulance service reported.
Kennedy Shoal is a shallow coral reef favoured by recreational fishers. Divers are also drawn to the Lady Bowen, a 19th century shipwreck. Fishers had reported sightings of bull sharks in the area prior to the attack.
This death follows a similarly chilling incident earlier this month, in which a 38-year-old man was killed by a 13ft great white shark. Steve Mattabonni had been spearfishing with a mate when he was attacked at Horseshoe Reef, near Perth, Western Australia, according to police.
Aerial footage captured him being rushed to shore following the bite, with paramedics carrying out CPR.
A police spokesperson said at the time: “About 9.55am on Saturday 16 May 2026, emergency services were advised of a possible shark attack off the coast of Rottnest Island.
“A 38-year-old man was in the water at Horseshoe Reef when he was believed to have been bitten by a shark. The man was conveyed by vessel to shore, where he was met by SJA WA paramedics.”
Australia sees approximately 20 shark attacks annually, though the overwhelming majority prove non-fatal, according to figures from conservation organisations. In January, scores of beaches along Australia’s eastern coastline, including those in Sydney, were shut following four shark attacks within two days.
Those incidents occurred as torrential downpours produced murky conditions that draw sharks while limiting their sight. Despite generating headlines, shark attacks aren’t the primary danger in Australia’s waters – drowning claims far more lives on the nation’s coastline each year.
An estimated 1,300 shark attacks have been documented since 1791. Around 260 of these have led to fatalities.
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