- Man in his 60s attacked by a shark near Curtis Island
- He suffered moderate injuries from several shark bites
A man has been rushed to hospital after being bitten by a shark off the coast of Queensland.
The man in his 60s was attacked about 8.25am on Monday while spearfishing near Curtis Island in Gladstone, 568 kilometers north of Brisbane.
Swim in clear water, away from people fishing
He suffered bites to both arms and one hand, causing severe bleeding, and was rushed to Gladstone Hospital in a stable condition.
Bystanders performed CPR on the man on Curtis Island before emergency services were able to transport him to Gladstone by police boat.
Acting Gladstone Station Duty Officer Danielle Martin said the bystander’s efforts were crucial in getting the man to safety.
“We don’t respond to this very often, but when we do it is a unique incident where we have to work with other services to get the patient to hospital in a timely manner,” she said.
‘In this case we were lucky as shark bites can be significant, but we were able to transport him on this occasion with minor to moderate injuries.’
Fisheries Queensland has offered assistance where necessary.
“Our thoughts are with the injured man and anyone who witnessed the incident, as well as those who assisted at the scene,” a spokesperson said.
‘There are no shark nets or drumlines at this location and no information is currently available on the conditions or the shark species involved.’
there is more to come