Overview
- A 31-year-old recreational diver was bitten on the forearm about 50 metres offshore at Adventure Bay and was helped to shore by fellow divers before being airlifted to Royal Hobart Hospital in stable condition on Saturday.
- Tasmania Police identified the suspected attacker as a roughly 2-metre broadnose sevengill shark and said a police vessel is patrolling the area with no further confirmed sightings.
- Authorities described the injuries as non-life-threatening and urged swimmers and divers to follow local safety advice and report any shark sightings to police or Triple Zero for immediate threats.
- An unconfirmed witness account said the diver had been spearfishing and was retrieving a speared fish when the shark bit, a detail researchers say could explain how feeding stimuli draw sevengill sharks closer to people.
- The incident comes during a wider rise in reported shark encounters around Australia, increasing calls for vigilance on popular shorelines and continued monitoring by emergency and police services.