Young man in hospital after shark attack in north Queensland

A 24-year-old man is being treated in hospital following a shark attack in Queensland’s far north.

A man has been bitten by a shark near Cairns. Picture: File/Alix Sweeney

A 24-year-old man is being treated at hospital after a shark attack in Queensland’s far north.

Cairns and Hinterland Hospital and Health Service reported the man was bitten by a shark on Sunday morning in waters off Yarrabah near Cairns.

A Cairns HHHS spokeswoman said the man was brought to the hospital via helicopter.

RSCU510 (A139) departed Yarrabah (YYBH) at 10:25AM AEST enroute to Cairns Base Hospital (YCBH) for an estimated arrival at 10:28AM AEST https://t.co/phcbN7HWML#flightaware

— FNQ Online (@QLDCairns) December 12, 2021

Cairns rescue helicopter RSCU510 was tasked to Yarrabah about 10am and arrived at the hospital just before 11am.

The man remains in a stable condition at Cairns Hospital about noon.

The extent of his injuries and the type of shark responsible for them are unknown.

Yarrabah Beach is not patrolled by Surf Life Saving Queensland which had no information regarding the incident.

The attack comes just weeks after a 34-year-old man was bitten further down the coast near Airlie Beach.

In late October, Todd Price man had been swimming at Hook Island when he was bitten on the leg – sustaining lacerations to his thigh and shin that required stitches.

It comes as the Queensland government is rolling out a $4 million pilot program for new technology aiming to mitigate the risk of shark attacks. Drone surveillance is set to be amped up while nets and drumlines remain in place.