Overview
- A 35-year-old woman was severely wounded by a large shark about 30 metres from shore over the weekend and suffered life-threatening injuries that included the amputation of an arm.
- Coogee Beach was closed for safety and the victim remains in critical condition and will need ongoing care and rehabilitation.
- Authorities say no surveillance drones were operating over Coogee at the time because of flight restrictions near Sydney Airport, exposing an operational blind spot in a system that also uses nets, SMART drumlines and tag monitoring and that costs about AUD 30 million a year.
- Political pressure has mounted: Agriculture Minister Tara Moriarty would not rule out shark culls, while Premier Chris Minns said culling great white sharks is not an option but left measures for other species open.
- Scientists and rescue officials point to mistaken-identity bites and warming waters that shift shark movements as drivers of more encounters, which could push policy toward expanded surveillance or targeted controls for non-protected species.