Related News

Home » World

Navy diver attacked by shark in Sydney Harbour

A Navy diver suffered serious injuries to his hand and thigh after fighting off a shark today in Sydney Harbour - the first attack there in nine years.

Paul Degelder, 31, was swimming on the surface of the water with a police diver just off a Navy base when the shark attacked, Australian Fleet Commander Rear Admiral Nigel Coates said.

Degelder punched the shark a couple times and it swam off, Coates said. He was pulled into a nearby boat, given first aid and taken to the hospital. The attack was over in seconds. There was no immediate information on the type of shark involved.

Degelder was in stable condition after surgery.

The attack happened during an underwater trial of new naval defense technologies. The trial was temporarily suspended Wednesday as Navy officers hunted for the shark, Coates said.

The last shark attack in the harbor occurred in 2000, said shark expert John West from Sydney's Taronga Zoo. The last fatal attack in the harbor was in 1963.



 

Copyright © 1999- Shanghai Daily. All rights reserved.Preferably viewed with Internet Explorer 8 or newer browsers.

沪公网安备 31010602000204号

Email this to your friend