Second Australian Shark Attack in 2 Weeks
A shark attacked a surfer off the coast of Australia for the second time in two weeks.
The latest incident involved a 44-year-old surfer. Glen 'Lennie' Folkard, a father of one, was surfing north of Sydney when he was attacked.
Folkard sustained injuries to his lower half as a result of the attack and was rushed to a nearby hospital.
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His condition is unclear.
Folkard lost significant amounts of blood as he swam back to shore after being bitten by the bull shark, according to reports. The shark also bit a chunk out of his surfboard.
The beach reportedly has a safety net around it to prevent sharks from getting close to people. It remains unclear why the attack occurred and how the shark navigated through the deterrents.
The beach was crowded with swimmers and other surfers at the time of the attack, according to reports.
A similar incident occurred on Jan. 3, involving a 28-year-old surfer at a beach north of Sydney.
The surfer survived an attack after suffering injuries to his arm while surfing in the typically safe waters along Australia’s coastline.
Australia usually reports about three shark attacks per year. The two back-to-back attacks are alarming since they occurred in the first weeks of the new year.
Shark attacks can often happen in clusters. Similar spikes have previously been reported off the coasts of Florida and California.
The recent attacks could spark a renewal of the debate surrounding the use of safety nets along Australia’s coast. Environmental groups allege they do not work and are unsafe to other marine life.
The latest shark attack was the first since 2009 at a netted beach, according to reports. A surfer lost his hand in the attack three years ago.
More than 50 beaches near Sydney have the safety nets, which wrap from one side to the other and sit in water roughly 50 feet deep.
