Australian swimmer in critical condition after shark attack, franceinfo

A woman in her thirties was seriously injured in a shark attack on Saturday, June 13, 2026, while swimming at Coogee Beach, one of Australia’s busiest beaches, in Sydney’s eastern suburbs. Police said the victim suffered severe injuries to her arms and legs and was airlifted to hospital after being pulled from the water. Her condition was described as serious.

Emergency response teams deployed a helicopter and jet skis to search for the shark, while authorities closed several Sydney beaches as a precaution. A warning sign was also posted at Coogee Beach following the attack. The incident caused renewed concern among residents and beachgoers in one of the country’s most popular coastal areas.

The attack is the latest in a series of fatal and non-fatal shark incidents in Australia this year. Since January, four people have died in similar circumstances. In one case, a 12-year-old boy died after being bitten by a shark while swimming in Sydney Harbour in January. Three divers were also fatally attacked between May and June, including two in Western Australia and one in Queensland.

Australia has long recorded a high number of shark encounters, but scientists say changing ocean conditions may be affecting shark behavior and migration routes. Warmer waters and increasingly crowded coastal areas, driven in part by climate change and heavier human use of marine spaces, may raise the chances of encounters between sharks and people. Experts note that these environmental shifts could contribute to more frequent interactions in popular swimming and diving locations.

According to long-term records, more than 260 of the nearly 1,300 shark encounters documented in Australia since 1791 have been fatal. The latest attack at Coogee Beach adds to growing public concern about shark safety along Australia’s coastline, especially in heavily used urban beaches near major cities such as Sydney.

Authorities have not yet confirmed the species of shark involved or whether it has been located. Search efforts continued after the attack, and beach closures remained in place as officials worked to assess the situation and ensure public safety. The incident is expected to prompt further review of shark monitoring and coastal safety measures in the area.