Overview
- Emergency services were called about 6:30am Thursday to a beach in Crowdy Bay National Park, south of Port Macquarie.
- Witnesses provided first aid before paramedics arrived, but the woman, believed to be in her 20s, died at the scene and is yet to be formally identified.
- A man in his 20s was airlifted to Newcastle’s John Hunter Hospital with a serious leg injury, with one report describing his condition as critical.
- The beach is closed as NSW Department of Primary Industries and National Parks and Wildlife Service teams deploy drone surveillance, and the shark species has not yet been determined.
- Surf Life Saving NSW noted the location lacks lifeguard coverage due to its remoteness, and the incident follows several serious shark encounters this year that have prompted calls for stronger beach alert systems.