Overview

• A 16-year-old boy mauled at Cabarita Beach was airlifted to Gold Coast University Hospital with serious but stable arm, wrist and leg injuries, and the beach remains closed for further safety inspections.
• At Jones Beach, a 20-year-old woman suffered minor lacerations to her left foot and leg before being treated, released and seeing swimming resume the next morning once no sharks were located.
• New South Wales Shark Smart has deployed drones and aerial searches off Cabarita while Nassau County and New York State Parks have launched additional drone, helicopter, marine boat and lifeguard patrols along Long Island shores.
• Marine experts in both regions attribute the bites to juvenile sand tiger sharks likely mistaking swimmers for fish prey, emphasizing that such unprovoked incidents are rare and typically non-fatal.
• Authorities urge beachgoers to stay close to shore in groups, avoid murky water and fish schools, and follow lifeguard guidance as part of widened safety protocols.