Shark Attacks and Shark Attack Related Incidents News Articles on Shark Bites

Suspected shark attack off NSW coast
1 hour 6 minutes ago. | AAP

A snorkeller is believed to be the third shark attack victim off the east coast of Australia in two days.

A 25-year-old man was snorkelling near a boat ramp at Windang, at the mouth of Lake Illawarra, south of Wollongong, about 10.45am (AEDT) on Monday when he was bitten on the calf.

Sergeant John Klepczarek said the man flagged down a nearby boat, which came to his aid and helped him get to shore.

"Once in a blue moon," Sgt Klepczarek described the chance of a shark attack in the area.

An ambulance spokeswoman said the man punched at whatever bit him, causing it to let go.

He was not sure what attacked him but it left 40 to 50 puncture wounds in his calf.

He was transported to Shellharbour Hospital in a stable condition.

The water and air shark patrol were alerted and commenced a search the area, Sgt Klepczarek said.

The incident follows two severe shark attacks on Sunday.

A male surfer at Tweed Heads, in far north NSW, suffered a 40cm gaping tear to his thigh from a suspected bull shark.

Hours later, a five metre great white shark latched on to the leg of 13-year-old Hannah Mighall at Binalong Bay, near St Helens, in Tasmania's north-east.

Her older cousin fought off the "monster" and then the pair rode a wave into shore with the shark close behind.


http://www.livenews.com.au/Articles/200 ... _NSW_coast

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Dusky whaler behind attack: expert

BY MICHELLE HOCTOR
17/01/2009 4:00:00 AM



Windang's Steven Fogarty was the victim of a 2m dusky whaler shark that was most likely competing for access to a school of fish, a NSW Government expert has concluded.

Dr Vic Peddemors, who heads the shark research section of the Department of Primary Industries (DPI), visited Mr Fogarty's seaside home yesterday to investigate the attack.

Mr Fogarty, 24, was attacked while snorkelling under Windang Bridge on Monday morning, suffering 40 puncture wounds to his right calf and cuts to his fist from fighting off the predator.

"There's no doubt the attacker was a shark," Dr Peddemors said. "Its top jaw has had at least three goes at Steven's leg and left crescent shaped wounds."

He said based on the size and shape of the tooth marks, a dusky whaler was the culprit. The distance between the teeth and the width of the jaw indicated it was 2m to 2.2m long.

"We know from our research at the DPI that dusky whalers do go into large estuaries and would be quite comfortable swimming around here," he said.

Despite the findings, he said a dusky whaler usually wouldn't consider biting a human, especially one that was almost the same size as its prey, given Mr Fogarty stands 181cm tall.

"They're just not designed to bite humans and don't interact with them often enough to want to do it," he said.

Dr Peddemors said it was more likely the shark believed it was competing with Mr Fogarty for a school of fish.

"Steven was lying on the bottom looking at a school of bream and blackfish.

"It's possible the shark has mouthed him as if to say, 'This is my school of fish, get out of my way'.

"There's no chunk of flesh missing, and yet there has been three strikes on his leg."

Mr Fogarty said Dr Peddemors' belief the shark had not set out to eat him might help him.

After five days, Mr Fogarty says he still has nightmares and wakes in cold sweats.

"But I've got a good group of friends who visit every day to keep me company and take my mind off things."

http://www.illawarramercury.com.au/news ... 09365.aspx

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Shark attack victim now wary of water
12/01/2009 5:12:00 PM
Windang shark attack victim Steven Fogarty said this afternoon he was glad to have walked away from his encounter with a bull shark.
The 24-year-old spoke to waiting media as he left Shellharbour Hospital, saying he would be a little more wary about entering the water again after being attacked by the shark in Lake Illawarra this morning.

``I won't be having a bath for a while, I'm a bit scared of the water now,'' he said.

``(But) I'll get back out there.''

Mr Fogarty said he often swam with his 10-year-old cousin.

``One of the things I thought about was how lucky it was he wasn't with me,'' he said.

Mr Fogarty suffered 40 puncture wounds to his right calf and abrasions to his right fist in the attack.

http://www.illawarramercury.com.au/news ... 04966.aspx

Windang shark victim struggles to cope
BY EMMA SHAW
14/01/2009 4:00:00 AM
The still water of Lake Illawarra looked benign enough yesterday but for Windang shark attack victim Steven Fogarty it is the stuff of nightmares.

Mr Fogarty, 24, said he had already dreamed about his shocking experience, which took place as he snorkelled beneath the Windang Bridge on Monday morning.

"But at least I'm alive to tell the story," he said. "I'm counting my blessings."

Mr Fogarty received about 40 puncture wounds to his calf, as well as razor-like cuts on his fist from fighting off the predator.

Yesterday he met the Illawarra Mercury at the scene of the attack, which is thought to have involved a 1.5m bull shark. Accompanied by family members, he gazed out at the empty waters which were ominously quiet.

"I came down last night with some friends for a few minutes," Mr Fogarty said. "It made the hairs on the back of my arms stand up a bit. It was a bit scary but looking out there now you'd think there's nothing that can hurt you.

"I was pretty restless last night. I didn't sleep a great deal, I laid back and counted my blessings. I had a nightmare as soon as I fell asleep and then that kept me awake. I felt like I was stuck in a dream. I was screaming for help and there was no-one there to help - it was just like yesterday."

Mr Fogarty's cries for help were ignored by a number of people passing by on boats and over the bridge. He was eventually rescued by Koonawarra fisherman Pete Holm, who hauled him out of the water and onto his boat.

"My parents have always taught me it's not hard to say hello and to give help if you're asked for it. Yesterday everybody just turned their back on me. If (Mr Holm) hadn't stopped, I don't know if I could have swam back and whatever it was would have still been there somewhere," Mr Fogarty said.

Despite the terrifying events, Mr Fogarty insists he will continue to swim and snorkel in the lake.

"I will go back in the lake but not at the moment," he said.

"I've done it my whole life. You've just got to understand (sharks) are there and you're swimming in their backyard."

However, he said he would no longer be taking his 10-year-old cousin Reece Pulo on any snorkelling expeditions.

"He normally comes with me but I wouldn't let him go now," he said.

Wife Amanda knows better than to try and deter her husband from returning to the lake.

"I want him to go back in the water," she said.

Mr Fogarty's mother, Julia, also of Windang, said Steven's father, John, would also continue to swim in the lake.

"(Sharks) won't bother him but I think (Steven and his father) will go out together now. I will worry when they go out,"she said.

Mr Fogarty is due to return to Shellharbour Hospital today for a check-up.

http://www.illawarramercury.com.au/news ... torypage=0

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Victim tells of shark attack terror

BY EMMA SHAW
13/01/2009 4:00:00 AM

A Windang man has spoken of his terror after being attacked by a shark in Lake Illawarra yesterday.

Steven Fogarty, 24, was snorkelling in 2m water near the Windang boat ramp at 10.45am when he felt a nudge on his right calf.

"Something just grabbed me from behind," Mr Fogarty said.

"I thought someone was playing a joke."

Within seconds he realised something more serious was afoot and started punching out at the creature attacking him.

"All I could see was a white cloud with all bubbles around it," he recalled.

"I started screaming and I got on my back and started back-pedalling.

"I was in the water a good couple of minutes. A couple of people drove past in a boat. One bloke just went straight past me, just looking at me. I yelled 'help, help, help'.

"A fella on the bridge waved his hand."

At that point, Mr Fogarty, a waterfront worker, said he wasn't in excruciating pain.

"I was scared more than anything," he said. "I was still in a metre of water."

It was then that fisherman Pete Holm dragged him on board his boat and transported him to shore.

"There was blood all over the boat," Mr Fogarty said. "I had a quick look and made sure both legs were there."

Mr Fogarty was treated at the scene by paramedics before being transferred to Shellharbour Hospital.

District manager for Illawarra Ambulance Service, Terry Morrow, described the injuries.

"There were approximately 30-40 teeth marks around his right calf that appeared to be from the jaws of a shark.

"They were clean, simple cuts, like little razor blade cuts," he said.

Mr Morrow said fishing authorities had reported seeing bull sharks in the entrance of the lake over the past few days.

At Shellharbour Hospital, Mr Fogarty received stitches to his right leg before being released yesterday afternoon.

Speaking outside the hospital, he had advice for other lake users.

"Don't swim on your own," he said. "I've been told a thousand times.

"I go swimming with my old man and my (10-year-old) cousin, and one of the things I thought about was how lucky (it was) he wasn't with me.

"But you never expect (sharks) in the lake."

He had, however, recovered sufficiently to joke about the experience, telling the Mercury: "I won't be having a bath for a while - I'm a bit scared of the water now".

Mr Fogarty said he would one day return to the water but admitted it would not be for a while.

When he left hospital with family members, including wife Amanda, he said he planned to "just relax".

Grandmother Patricia Fogarty spoke of the family's joy at having her grandson safe and sound.

"We're just very relieved," she said.

http://www.illawarramercury.com.au/news ... torypage=0

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A snorkeller is believed to be the third shark attack victim off the coast of Australia in 24 hours.


Snorkeller bitten in latest shark attack

* January 12, 2009 - 12:36PM

A snorkeller is believed to be the third shark attack victim off the coast of Australia in 24 hours.

A 25-year-old man was snorkelling near a boat ramp at the mouth of Lake Illawarra in Windang, south of Wollongong,. when he was bitten on the calf about 10.45am.

Sergeant John Klepczarek says the man flagged down a nearby boat, which came to his aid and helped him get to shore.

An ambulance spokeswoman says the victim's not sure what attacked him but it left 40 to 50 puncture wounds in his calf.

He was transported to Shellharbour Hospital in a stable condition.

Two other people were attacked by sharks yesterday in separate incidents in Tweed Heads, in far north NSW, and in Binalong Bay in Tasmania.

Separate shark attacks on Sunday left a male surfer at Tweed Heads, in far north NSW, and a teenage girl in Tasmania with gaping leg wounds.

In the first attack, by a suspected bull shark, the surfer escaped with a 40-centimetre tear to his thigh.

Hours later, a five metre great white shark latched on to the leg of 13-year-old Hannah Mighall at Binalong Bay, near St Helens, in Tasmania's north-east.

Her older cousin fought off the "monster'' and then the pair rode a wave into shore with the shark close behind.

Shark expert Vic Hislop today warned that humans will head the menu for sharks if fishing in Australian waters is not brought under control.

Mr Hislop, who has hunted sharks for decades, says most beliefs about shark attacks on humans are wrong.

Mr Hislop said 200 years of over-fishing Australian waters had turned the attention of big sharks to "gentler'' prey such as dugong, turtles and dolphins.

"That's what's in their stomach now every day,'' he told Macquarie Radio today.

"As the turtles disappear, which is inevitable, and the dugong herds disappear, humans are next in line on the food chain.

"It will definitely get worse.''

Mr Hislop said humans are tasty to sharks but manage to escape because they're smarter.

"Don't ever believe this rubbish about `they take a bite, they don't like humans','' he said.

"That is just so wrong. They take a bite and wait for their victim to bleed to death to finish them off. And that's why we escape.''

Marine animals bitten by sharks panicked, swam around and bled to death before the shark moved in again to devour them, he said.

But human defence mechanisms would eventually fail against the shark.

"The big sharks only lose a few people then they get good at it,'' Mr Hislop said.

Hitting a shark on the nose or trying to poke one in the eye to fight off an attack was not effective and did not cause a shark to release a victim, he said.

"You can get 10 of the biggest men in Australia with sledgehammers and you will not hurt them. You won't even faze them,'' Mr Hislop said.

Commercial fishing levels and the protection of great white sharks would result in more attacks on humans, he said.

"Common sense tells you that you cannot keep fishing out the oceans and protect the end of the food chain. You're heading for disaster.''

AAP


http://www.theage.com.au/national/snork ... ml?page=-1