A series of shark attacks over three days along the coast of New South Wales (NSW) in Australia has prompted authorities to ramp up drone patrols and other responses. The government, citing a rapid deterioration in ocean conditions due to recent heavy rain, is urging people to avoid approaching the coast.
On the 20th (local time), according to Australia's public broadcaster ABC and others, tension is rising in NSW after four shark attacks were reported in quick succession. Donna Wishart, Spokesperson for Surf Life Saving NSW, said, "It is unusual to have four incidents in such a short span," noting that "the recent heavy rain has greatly increased the risk of shark attacks."
Earlier, on the 18th, a 12-year-old boy lost both legs after being attacked by a shark while swimming at a beach in Sydney Harbour. When the shark bit the boy, his friends pulled him to shore and he was taken to a hospital, but he is currently in critical condition, reports said.
The next day, a man in his 20s surfing at Manly Beach in northern Sydney suffered a severe injury after a shark bit his leg. At nearby DY Beach, a shark was reported to have chewed an 11-year-old boy's surfboard, but there were no injuries.
On the morning of the 20th, a 39-year-old man surfing off Point Plomer, about 400 kilometers north of Sydney, reported being bitten in the chest by a shark. The injury was minor, however, and a local marine rescuer said, "The injured person swam to the beach on his own and received help from local residents." Beaches nearby have been closed due to the incident.
SharkSmart, the state government's shark safety program, believes the situation is closely linked to weather conditions. Heavy rain has muddied the water and reduced visibility, while nutrients flowing from land have attracted fish, increasing shark presence, according to the analysis.
Tara Moriarty, NSW Minister for Ministry of the Interior and Safety (MOIS), warned, "We are seeing shark attacks at an unprecedented level," adding, "In turbid seawater, shark risk rises sharply."
The rise in shark incidents is also evident in statistics. According to Australia's shark incident databases, there have been 23 "fatal-level" shark attacks nationwide since 2020, already surpassing the totals for 2010–2019 (22) and 1960–2009 (15). According to the conservation group Taronga, an average of 20 people have been attacked by sharks annually over the past 10 years.
Authorities have identified bull sharks as the main cause of the latest attacks. Bull sharks, which average around 2 meters in length, inhabit warm waters and favor shallows, making them a significant threat to humans. In fact, when water temperatures along the NSW coast reach about 19 degrees Celsius or higher in summer and fall, sightings of bull sharks approaching beaches and rivers have increased, according to observations.
In response, Sydney authorities decided to more than double beach drone patrols as a preventive measure. Drones track shark movements from the air in real time to help detect danger early, they said.
NSW has installed 37 shark-detection devices along the coast. When a shark enters within a 500-meter radius of a device, alerts are immediately issued via an app and social media. The state also said it will run drone patrol operations in parallel with nonlethal trap deployment.
Steve Pearce, head of Surf Life Saving, advised, "If you don't have a compelling reason to go into the ocean, use an indoor pool for the time being."