Ambulance crews treating shark attack victim near Wollongong

A surfer has been bitten by a shark south of Port Kembla in the NSW Illawarra.

A man has been attacked by a shark at Wollongong. Picture: Madeline Crittenden

A surfer has suffered a deep shark bite to his left foot south of Port Kembla in the NSW Illawarra.

The incident occurred on Friday about 8am at Windang Beach, with three ambulance crews and a helicopter attending the scene.

The bite went through to the bone of the 59-year-old man’s foot and caused ligament damage, but bleeding was controlled.

The man was transported to Wollongong Hospital in a serious but stable condition.

NSW Ambulance duty operations manager Terry Morrow said such emergency call-outs had the potential to escalate quickly and encouraged all swimmers to take care.

Update: Shark attack: Patient suffering bite to left foot. Bite has gone through to the bone with ligament damage. Bleeding being controlled! Patient is a male in his 60s. #nswambulance #paramedics #aeromed #windang

— NSW Ambulance (@NSWAmbulance) January 16, 2020

“Paramedics often cannot be sure how extensive the injuries are going to be or how critical the patient is,” Insp Morrow said in a statement. “When attending these jobs, it is paramount that the bleeding is under control as quickly as possible as it affects the patient’s recovery if they lose large pools of blood.”

NSW Police said in a statement on Friday that no shark has been sighted in the area and Windang Beach has remained open.

The attack comes after an experienced scuba diver was killed by a white shark.

Gary Johnson, 57, was with his wife Karen Milligan when he was attacked almost two weeks ago near Cull Island in Esperence.

Mr Johnson’s body was never found after days of search.
Beaches in the Esperence area reopened on January 9 after the attack on January 5.

With AAP