Gladstone shark attack: Man dies after being bitten off Qld coast

A man in his 20s who was swimming with a group of friends off the Queensland coast was fatally bitten by a shark as he swam back to a charter boat.

A man has died following a shark attack off the Queensland coast.

The 23-year-old man was swimming with a group of friends yesterday off North West Island, around 75 kilometres east of Gladstone.

Queensland Police said the man was swimming back to the group’s charter boat when he was bitten by the shark. He sustained injuries to his leg, hand and elbow.

A doctor and paramedics responded and treated the man on board the vessel before he was taken to Gladstone Hospital.

The attack happened off the Queensland beauty spot of North West Island.

Gabrielle Holmes from Capricorn Rescue Service said a helicopter reached the boat at around 6pm.

“At this stage we believe there was a group of them swimming and this patient was the last one to exit the water onto the boat, when the incident occurred,” she told the ABC.

Despite a concerted effort to treat and stabilise the man’s condition so he was well enough to travel, he died are around 10pm yesterday at hospital.

A report will be prepared for the coroner.