Boy remains in critical condition following shark attack off Queensland
A 14-year-old boy remains in a critical condition after friends helped him to shore after a shark attack off Queensland’s coast. His family has spoken of the “traumatic” ordeal.
A 14-year-old boy remains in critical condition at Townsville Hospital after a shark attack off Thursday Island on the weekend, with the Torres Strait community praising his quick-thinking friends for bringing him to shore.
The boy, who was believed to be fishing with friends, was attacked near Cook Esplanade on Saturday evening and suffered serious abdominal injuries.
Emergency services called after 6:20pm and the boy was taken to Thursday Island hospital, but flown soon after to Townsville Hospital by the Royal Flying Doctor Service.
The family of the 14-year-old victim on Monday said they remained by his bedside after the “traumatic” attack.
“We are with our son, who is continuing to receive treatment after he was bitten by a shark over the weekend. He remains in a critical but stable condition, and we are grateful for the excellent care he is receiving from the doctors and nurses at Townsville University Hospital,” the family said in a statement to News Corp.
“We want to extend our deepest gratitude to everyone who came to his aid – from the first responders to the medical teams who transported him and the health care professionals who are now caring for him.
“This is a traumatic time for our family. Our focus is on our son’s recovery, and we ask that the media and public please respect our privacy.
“We are grateful for the outpouring of community support and will provide updates when appropriate. Thank you.”
Torres Shire Council Mayor Elsie Seriat OAM on Sunday said Council was “deeply concerned” about the shark attack, commending the boy’s friends for their “incredible bravery and quick thinking to help him back to safety.”
She said it was believed a boy had entered the water while fishing with friends at Cook Esplanade.
“This incident is very unfortunate, and our hopes and prayers go out to the boy and his family at this difficult time,” Ms Seriat said.
“Our small community feels this deeply. We know many people are thinking of the young boy, his friends, and their families.
“Please continue to keep them in your hearts and prayers.”
Ms Seriat said public safety was of paramount importance for Council, encouraging island residents across the Torres Strait to be “mindful and aware of the dangers in our surrounding waters and to always use good Judgement.”
She said Council would continue to work closely with Queensland Health, the Queensland Police Service, and the families involved.
Ms Seriat said council would work with other government agencies to strengthen community awareness, water safety education, and signage across popular fishing and swimming spots.
Shark attacks are uncommon in the Torres Strait with the most recent widely-reported attack occurring seven years ago at the extreme outer in 2017.
In this attack, 55-year-old Craig de Wit, who was travelling around Mer Island was bitten by what was believed to be a bull shark while snorkelling at Boot Reef some 950 kilometres north of Cairns and approximately 56 kilometres east of Yule Entrance at the extreme northern end of the Outer Great Barrier Reef.
A spokeswoman for the Department of Primary Industries (DPI) said the Queensland Government Shark Control Program did not operate as far north as the Torres Strait, with the Australian Fisheries Management Authority (AFMA) the responsible agency for fisheries in the district.
The DPI lists around 100 species of shark in Queensland waters with around seven species more likely to present a risk to humans.
These species include bull sharks, tiger sharks, black tip sharks and reef sharks.
Questions about whether the federal government Authority would be conducting an investigation were not answered before deadline.
The International Shark Attack File maintained by Florida University says there have been 201 confirmed shark attacks in Queensland since 1700.
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Originally published as Boy remains in critical condition following shark attack off Queensland
