A teenage girl has died after being attacked by a shark while swimming near a popular beach on Australia’s east coast, authorities confirmed.
According to a Reuters report, emergency responders rushed to Woorim Beach on Bribie Island, about 80 kilometers north of Brisbane, around 5 p.m. on Monday following reports of a severe shark bite, Queensland police said.
“The female was swimming when she was bitten by a shark… She sustained life-threatening injuries and succumbed to those injuries,” a police spokesperson stated.
Officials have not formally released the victim’s age, but local media identified her as a 17-year-old.
Bribie Island resident Christopher Potter noted that while sharks are common in the area, such an attack so close to shore was unexpected.
“It’s known there are a lot of sharks around Bribie, but this close to shore, it’s still a shock,” he told ABC News.
Authorities are investigating the incident and have urged beachgoers to exercise caution.
