Overview
- Leah Stewart, who was mauled on June 13 while swimming at Coogee, remains in critical condition at St Vincent’s Hospital after multiple surgeries and the amputation of one arm.
- On Sunday more than 1,000 people joined a swim-out organised by Coogee Surf Life Saving Club and Randwick City Council to show solidarity and raise money for Stewart’s recovery.
- Organisers deployed drones, lifeguards on jet skis, inflatable rescue boats and about 20 rescue paddlers to monitor the water and reassure participants.
- A community GoFundMe has raised over $460,000 for Stewart’s prosthetics, rehabilitation and care, and her family read a message asking swimmers to look out for blue gropers as they returned to the ocean.
- The attack has sharpened policy questions about shark safety; the Civil Aviation Safety Authority has made a drone exemption over Coogee permanent, Premier Chris Minns said great whites are protected, and shark nets are scheduled to be reinstalled in September.