A 17-year-old girl lost her life in a shark attack while swimming at Woorim Beach on Bribie Island, north of Brisbane, on Monday.
Emergency services arrived at the scene around 4:45 p.m. local time. Despite paramedics’ efforts, she succumbed to her injuries within 15 minutes, police reported.
The victim, Charlize Zmuda, was a dedicated volunteer surf lifesaver. Her father, Steve Zmuda, shared that she had been involved with the Bribie Island Surf Life Saving Club since she was eight years old.
“When I got the tragic news yesterday, I was extremely gutted, but we don’t want people to stop coming to the beach,” he told reporters.
Authorities have not yet identified the species of shark involved. Reports indicate that police officers entered the water in an attempt to save her, but she could not be rescued.
This marks the second fatal shark attack in Queensland in just over a month and the third in Australia within five weeks.
On January 2, surfer Lance Appleby was killed by a shark at Granites Beach in South Australia. A few days earlier, 40-year-old chaplain Luke Walford suffered a fatal bite while spearfishing near the Keppel Bay Islands in Queensland.
Woorim Beach has shark control measures in place, including baited drum lines and drone surveillance.
Local officials extended their condolences, with Moreton Bay mayor Peter Flannery calling it a “difficult time for the tight-knit Bribie Island community.”
Queensland state MP Ariana Doolan described the incident as “tragic” and urged the public to respect the privacy of the grieving family.
According to the Australian Shark Incident Database, Australia has recorded over 1,200 shark attacks since 1791, with more than 250 proving fatal.
