A 39-year-old man from Cairns has been killed after being bitten on the head by a shark while spearfishing at Kennedy Shoals, a popular fishing and diving spot approximately 50 kilometres offshore from Hull Heads in Far North Queensland. The man was on a private boat with three other men when the attack occurred.
Emergency services were notified of the incident around midday. It took approximately one hour for the boat carrying the victim and the three other men to return to the Hull Heads boat ramp. Despite the best efforts of paramedics who were waiting at the ramp, the man was pronounced dead at approximately 1pm.
Inspector Elaine Burns from Cairns Police described the incident as tragic for everyone involved and acknowledged the traumatic impact on the three men who witnessed the attack. Police said their investigations are ongoing and they would continue to provide support to the family and those who were on board.
This is the second shark attack in Australian waters in as many weeks. Just ten days ago, 38-year-old Stephen Mataboni was attacked in separate waters, highlighting the ongoing risks faced by those who enter the ocean for recreational activities along Australia's vast coastline.
Kennedy Shoals is well known among local fishers and divers as a productive reef system, but the area's remoteness means that emergency response times are significantly longer than at patrolled beaches. The incident has renewed calls for greater awareness of shark safety protocols among spearfishers and recreational divers operating in open water far from shore.