Whitsundays shark attack: Sea saviours’ amazing tale of bravery

WHEN rescuers got the call about a second shark attack they thought there must have been a mistake. But when RACQ CQ helicopter rescue crew officer Ben McCauley arrived on scene near Cid Harbour, it was clear terror had struck again.

Paramedic Ian Buck-Barrett says Hannah Papps, was “absolutely brave”. Picture: Daryl Wright

WHEN rescuers got the call about a second shark attack they thought there must have been a mistake.

But when RACQ CQ helicopter rescue crew officer Ben McCauley arrived on scene near Cid Harbour – the same place he had rescued tourist Justine Barwick the day before, it was clear terror had struck again. This time the victim was 12-year-old Hannah Papps.

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In a surreal moment for rescuers, who had been there 24 hours earlier, they spent about 30 minutes stabilising the girl on Sawmill beach on Whitsunday Island.

Hannah was attacked by the shark in Cid Harbour, north of Hamilton Island, about 1.40pm on Thursday.

Paramedic Ian Buck-Barrett said the little girl was “absolutely brave”.

“She was an extraordinarily stoic lady throughout and really bore the whole thing very well,” Mr Buck-Barrett, who was attached to the RACQ Central Queensland rescue helicopter, said.

“Dad was clearly very concerned for his daughter but was very calm for his daughter. In the back of the helicopter you can hear nothing, so apart from giving the patient the occasional thumbs up and getting the thumbs up back - which this young lady did do - it’s just facial expressions all you can really do.

Paramedic Ian Buck-Barrett says Hannah Papps, was “absolutely brave”. Picture: Daryl Wright

“Yep, she gave lots of regular thumbs up back. We did get smiles out of Hannah.”

Mr Buck-Barrett said that before they arrived another paramedic was sent by boat from Hamilton Island and they had controlled Hannah’s bleeding.

The police boat then picked up the helicopter paramedic and a doctor from the beach, took them to the yacht Hannah was on, and brought her back to the beach about 100m away.

They spent about 20 minutes treating Hannah who was conscious and alert for most of the time before putting her into the helicopter.

Talking to Hannah, the medical crew spoke about “insignificant things” to help try to keep her focussed on things other than the injury. She had lost a significant amount of blood.

“I reassessed and dressed and packed her wounds,” Mr Buck-Barrett said. “We started to give her blood.”

Shark attacks in the area are so rare Mr McCauley said when the second call came in they thought the information was incorrect.

“Obviously when the phone call came though for the same thing in the same place, it was a bit surreal,” Mr McCauley said. “We weren’t sure if the information was actually correct. Going back to the same spot within 24 hours, it sort of brings back deja vu. It’s hard to have a plan when every shark attack can be different and you’re not 100 per cent what you are going to.”

Hannah Papps is transferred from Mackay to Brisbane via Royal Flying Doctor Service. Picture: Daryl Wright

He said she had a significant bite mark on her left inner thigh and a bite wound on her right inner thigh.

“We had to get bleeding under control, leg strapped and all pain relief before she was ready to be transferred,” he said. “She was conscious, she was doing quite well actually for the situation she was in. It’s a quite traumatic situation for everyone, especially when it’s a younger child.

“The father, he was doing really well. He was quite calm and placid and in a bit of shock obviously. He was holding himself together quite well. Very well done for a very overwhelming situation.

Mr McCauley said Hannah was semi-conscious and “drowsy”.

Mr Buck-Barrett said it was about a 25-minute journey from Sawmill Beach back to Mackay Base Hospital.

“We continued giving the young lady blood and more pain relief and emotional support,” he said.