Overview

• A 16-year-old boy was bitten several times by a shark off Norries Headland at Cabarita Beach on June 29 and remains in serious but stable condition at Gold Coast University Hospital.
• Cabarita Beach will stay closed for at least 24 hours as authorities use drones and patrols to ensure no further shark threats in the area.
• Bystanders and volunteer surf lifesavers intervened swiftly, with one rescuer punching the shark and off-duty paramedics applying tourniquets to control bleeding.
• On June 25 at Jones Beach, a 20-year-old woman sustained minor lacerations in a likely juvenile sand tiger shark bite, prompting a one-day swimming suspension before beach operations resumed under tighter patrols.
• TrackingSharks.com data show 29 verified shark bites worldwide so far this year, including seven in the U.S. with no fatalities, spurring enhanced surveillance and tagging programs.