17 year-old Sam Smith was bitten by what appears to be a Bronze Whaler shark in southern New South Wales last Friday. The attack occured near Bannister Head, just over a mile north of Mollymook beach and over 100 miles south of Sydney.
After spotting the shark while out spearfishing with a friend, Sam dived down to take a closer look and capture some footage of it with his GoPro – arguably not the most sensible of ideas. The shark started to approach him, so Sam tried to ward it off by jabbing at it with his spear. This only aggravated the shark, however, and it proceeded to attack Sam, biting him on his right-hand and wrist.
Sam was able to swim away, and was treated
first on the beach by paramedics and then at the local Milton Hospital,
before being airlifted to Sydney for specialist treatment. He is not
thought to have suffered any permanent damage, and his mother Sue Smith thought he would be back in the water within a couple of months. Sam said he thought the shark was 1.5m long. GoPro footage of the attack can be seen above.
