Shark sighting at Port Noarlunga jetty, just days after swimmer seriously injured in attack
A 3m-long shark has been spotted off Port Noarlunga beach – just days after a swimmer was attacked there – as authorities extend shark patrols and take drastic measures to keep beachgoers safe.
A shark has been spotted off Port Noarlunga jetty, just three days after a man was seriously injured in a terrifying attack at the same beach.
Shark Watch South Australia confirmed the sighting at 9.40am on Sunday, with SA Police reporting a 3m-long shark near the jetty.
The shark’s direction and distance offshore were not specified.
It follows a harrowing incident on Thursday when emergency services rushed to the jetty just before 10am when Richard Vinall, aged in his 60s, was bitten on the thigh while swimming.
Mr Vinall was pulled from the water and treated by paramedics and MedSTAR, before being taken to Flinders Medical Centre. He remains there in a stable condition.
The state government announced on Sunday morning that aerial shark patrols would be extended as part of a risk mitigation strategy being rolled following the spate of sightings.
Patrols will be extended until the June long weekend following warmer weather and the increase in shark sightings.
“Aerial surveillance is an important measure to help keep beachgoers safe, providing eyes in the sky to detect potential danger below,” Assistant Minister for Regional Health Emily Bourke said.
“This is the state’s longest patrol season, with more flights heading into the long weekend and predicted fine conditions set to keep our coastline busy.”
Authorities are urging the public to avoid the area, and swimmers were again evacuated this morning as a precaution.
There are growing concerns that algal blooms may be drawing sharks closer to popular swimming spots, as marine predators follow bait fish toward the coast.
Locals have expressed alarm over the back-to-back incidents and are calling for increased safety measures, including temporary beach closures and better shark surveillance.
More than 450 flights have been conducted this season as part of the state’s longest-ever aerial shark patrol program.
Shark surveillance aircraft – which are fitted with sirens and marked with “SHARK PATROL” – have sounded warnings more than 90 times since November.
“Following reports of shark activity on southern metropolitan and Fleurieu Peninsula coasts, a decision has been made to extend the fixed-wing aircraft shark patrol service,” SES chief of staff Robert Charlton said.
“Over the past two seasons, patrols have been extended in hours flown, and it stands to reason there will be more sightings.”
Surf Life Saving SA says it “is continuing to roll out the shark mitigation package”, with trauma kits and new signage being delivered to regional areas.
The government says it will review current safety measures with Surf Life Saving SA at the end of the season.
Shark Watch SA continues to monitor activity along the coast and post real-time alerts to social media.
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Originally published as Shark sighting at Port Noarlunga jetty, just days after swimmer seriously injured in attack
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