A shark that attacked two people off a remote New South Wales beach – killing a woman and injuring her partner – is unlikely to pose any threat, experts say.
Police are now reviewing GoPro footage from the scene that may shed more light on how it happened.
A Swiss couple in their 20s were swimming at Kyllies Beach in Crowdy Bay National Park early on Thursday when a large bull shark attacked first the woman and then the man who reportedly tried to save her.
Emergency services were called at around 6.30am.
The woman died at the scene, while the man was airlifted to John Hunter Hospital, where he is in stable condition, the hospital confirmed Friday.
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“The shark has attacked the female first, and her partner has made every effort to get them both to shore and to shout for help to a bystander,” NSW Ambulance Mid-North Coast Inspector Kieran Mowbray told Nine’s Today Show on Friday morning.
Mowbray said the bystander used his swimmers as a tourniquet and tied them around the man’s legs.
“That essentially saved his life and bought him time before (paramedics) got there,” he said.
Dr Brianna Le Busc, an environmental science and psychology researcher at the University of South Australia, said she was “shocked” to hear about the double attack and knew it would immediately be compared to the film Jaws.
“The really important part is to wait until we know more,” he said. “Until then, this is truly a terrifyingly strange incident, but there is no indication that this shark will continue to bite humans.
“The parallels with Jaws are so interesting, this idea that immediately we have to ‘get that particular shark,’ and we know that’s not an effective strategy.
“Chances are that this shark felt particularly threatened, something happened, that’s why it attacked twice.”
Scientists have disputed whether there is such a thing as a “problem shark”, and have warned against perpetuating the ghost of the “monster” from Jaws.
Rob Harcourt, emeritus professor of marine ecology at Macquarie University, said the double attack was “quite unusual”, but could occur when sharks were hunting prey and trying to fend off competitors.
The Swiss Consul General confirmed in a statement that one Swiss citizen died and another was injured.
“We are in contact with local authorities and are supporting relatives within the framework of consular protection,” the statement said.
Surf Life Saving NSW chief executive, Steven Pearce, told 2GB Radio that the “really, really terrible” incident happened in such a remote area that there were no life-saving services.
The Mayor of Midcoast Council, Claire Pontin, “expressed her sadness at the loss of life and offered her condolences to the families involved”.
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The Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development (DPIRD) has now installed five “smart” drumlines at Kyles Beach and the beach remains closed.
Drumlines send alerts when sharks or other marine animals take the bait. The shark is then tagged, taken 1 km off the coast and tracked.
The department said it “expresses its sincere condolences to the family and friends and first responders at this tragic time” and added that no sharks have been caught on drumlines in Crowdy Bay or Port Macquarie in the north or Forster in the south since the incident, and no drone sharks have been sighted.
“Based on forensic analysis, DPIRD shark scientists determined that a large bull shark, more than three meters long, was likely involved,” it said.
NSW uses shark nets, helicopters and other technology including “listening stations” to monitor sharks and prevent attacks, and beachgoers were advised to follow the NSW SharkSmart app.
Meanwhile, other nearby NSW beaches were closed on Friday after several bull shark sightings, as well as bat ball sightings, where fish group together to form defensive, tight groups to deter predators.
“Please remain cautious when swimming or surfing with the increased shark activity, especially in light of the tragic fatal incident that occurred today at Kylies Beach,” Port Macquarie Hastings ALS lifeguards said in a social media post.
In September, Mercury Psilakis was fatally mauled by a 3.5 meter long white beast on Sydney’s Long Reef beach.
At the time, experts said the incidence of shark bites had increased because more people were using the waters for more of the year, along with other factors including climate change, habitat loss, weather anomalies and the distribution of prey. But due to faster emergency responses, tourniquet kits at surf lifesaving clubs and better first aid training, the number of deaths has not increased.
According to NSW’s SharkSmart advice, swimmers should take extra caution during dawn and dusk, when bull and tiger sharks are more active, swim between flags at patrolled beaches and be mindful of water conditions and any safety signs or alarms.
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