A woman was severely injured in her right leg by a shark attack on Australia’s east coast on Friday, emergency services said.
The 50-year-old woman was flown to the hospital by rescue helicopter in serious but stable condition.
The attack took place at Gunyah Beach, south of Sydney. People on the beach heard her screams and rushed to her aid, despite the danger still posed by the shark, said Andrew Bibby of NSW Ambulance.
The injured woman probably would not have made it out of the water otherwise, he said, adding, “The bystanders that assisted before we got there were just absolutely remarkable.”
Not only did they pull the woman out of the water, they also administered first aid before the paramedics arrived.
It was not initially unknown what type of shark attacked her.
The 9News channel reported, citing residents, that bull sharks had been sighted in the area. Along with great white sharks and tiger sharks, this species is considered one of the most dangerous types of predatory fish.
There has been a recent increase in shark attacks in Australia, especially in the tropical state of Queensland further north.
In February, a 17-year-old girl was fatally injured off Bribie Island near Brisbane. In December, a man was killed while spearfishing near Humpy Island in the Great Barrier Reef.
