A woman attacked by a shark at a southern Sydney beach was saved by a group of beachgoers who waded into the water to rescue her.
Onlookers heard the woman screaming for help from the water at Gunyah Beach on Friday afternoon local time, near the coastal village of Bundeena, and called emergency services. By the time an ambulance arrived they had already pulled her from the water and were working to stop the bleeding from a severe leg injury.
NSW Ambulance Acting Inspector told ABC News the people who helped before paramedics arrived were “just absolutely remarkable”.
"They made their way into water which they, I would say, knew to be dangerous to assist her and got her out of there. I'm not sure that she would have gotten out of the water without their help,” he said.
"The first aid they applied was absolutely spot on and really laid a great foundation for the work we were able to do to try and stabilise her."
The woman, in her 50s, suffered a serious laceration from the shark attack and was losing a lot of blood. Inspector Bibby said the onlookers used beach towels to try to stop the bleeding while they waited for paramedics to arrive.
"They'd used towels to try and stem the bleeding … they put a towel around her leg as a makeshift tourniquet and used some other towels to try and pack the wound to stop the bleeding — they did an amazing job."
Paramedics had to carry the woman, who was in a critical condition when they arrived, from a remote part of the beach to a nearby park so she could be airlifted to hospital, where she was in a serious but stable condition.
Helicopters circled to try and spot the shark, while the local council closed all beaches in the area, including the popular Cronulla Beach.
There have been several shark attacks around Australia this summer, including three deaths.
A 17-year-old girl, Charlize Zmuda, died after being bitten by a shark while swimming off an island north of Brisbane, and youth pastor Luke Walford died after being bitten while spearfishing in the Great Barrier Reef in December.
In South Australia in January, surfer Lance Appleby went missing after witnesses reported seeing him being taken by what appeared to be a great white shark.
Last year a similar shark attack occurred at a much more urban Sydney Beach.
Lauren O’Neill had taken a sunset dip in Sydney Harbour in January last year when she was bitten on the leg, suffering serious injuries.
In a statement following surgery that saved her leg, Ms O’Neill thanked her “heroic and very kind neighbours” for helping to save her life.
Flights cancelled as several airports shut amid Cyclone Alfred warnings
Passengers tackle teenager ‘brandishing shotgun’ on Australia flight: ‘You act’
New Trump-inspired political party launched by Australian billionaire
I'm from the UK and this is what Christmas in Australia is like
Why you should visit Tasmania before the crowds eventually come
