Lake Macquarie shark a hoax
13/10/2008 10:04:00 AM
POLICE are yet to decide how they will deal with a teenager who concocted a story about being attacked by a shark in Lake Macquarie yesterday.
The boy, 15, told police that a four-metre shark had taken a chunk out of his surfboard as he was being towed by a boat carrying two mates off Wangi Wangi.
He said he was forced to jump from the board and swim to safety as the shark dragged his board underwater.
The story has since been determined as a hoax.
"We obviously have serious concerns about the misuse of emergency services as well as government agencies resources which could have been used in other areas,'' Senior Constable Tony Tamplin said.
Police are deciding whether to formally caution the youth using the Young Offenders Act.
http://www.theherald.com.au/news/local/ ... 31690.aspx
10/11/2008 Reported Hoax ( Australia )
10/11/2008 Reported Hoax ( Australia )
Boy tells of shark biting surfboard in lake
12/10/2008 11:08:00 PM
POLICE are investigating claims that a shark attacked a 15-year-old boy in Lake Macquarie yesterday, off Wangi Wangi.
Police were told that three teenage boys, from Arcadia Vale, were spending their last day of the school holidays on the lake.
One of the boys told police that a shark leapt out of the water about 3.30pm while he was being towed on a surfboard behind a tinnie that his mate was driving.
Lake Macquarie Police Inspector Terry Burns said he would ask NSW Fisheries officers to investigate the incident.
He said police had examined the surfboard, which was missing a large chunk measuring 47 centimetres in diameter.
"If it's fair dinkum, you're talking a huge fish," he said.
The boy said one of his mates, who was in the boat, warned him that a shark was approaching.
The boy said he rolled off his surfboard and the shark bit into the board.
He said he swam several metres to the boat, before climbing in and watched the shark swim away.
The boy told his parents, who alerted police.
The Herald's historical records show shark attacks in the lake are rare.
http://www.theherald.com.au/news/local/ ... 31418.aspx
12/10/2008 11:08:00 PM
POLICE are investigating claims that a shark attacked a 15-year-old boy in Lake Macquarie yesterday, off Wangi Wangi.
Police were told that three teenage boys, from Arcadia Vale, were spending their last day of the school holidays on the lake.
One of the boys told police that a shark leapt out of the water about 3.30pm while he was being towed on a surfboard behind a tinnie that his mate was driving.
Lake Macquarie Police Inspector Terry Burns said he would ask NSW Fisheries officers to investigate the incident.
He said police had examined the surfboard, which was missing a large chunk measuring 47 centimetres in diameter.
"If it's fair dinkum, you're talking a huge fish," he said.
The boy said one of his mates, who was in the boat, warned him that a shark was approaching.
The boy said he rolled off his surfboard and the shark bit into the board.
He said he swam several metres to the boat, before climbing in and watched the shark swim away.
The boy told his parents, who alerted police.
The Herald's historical records show shark attacks in the lake are rare.
http://www.theherald.com.au/news/local/ ... 31418.aspx