Shark attacks are an unfortunate reality along Australia’s coastline, serving as a stark reminder of the dangers that can lurk beneath the ocean’s surface. While many swimmers and surfers escape unharmed, others are not as fortunate. Last summer, a terrifying incident unfolded at Cabarita Beach in New South Wales when a 16-year-old boy was attacked by a shark—an ordeal captured in chilling footage that shows the predator chasing him toward shore.
Australia recorded more than 20 shark attacks last year, though thankfully not all were fatal. One of the most harrowing cases occurred on the state’s north coast, where the teenage boy was swimming when a bull shark measuring roughly two meters (nearly seven feet) struck. The attack left him with severe injuries to his leg, arm, and hand.
Many people are drawn to the ocean for recreation, especially in beach-loving countries like Australia. However, experts warn that even experienced swimmers and surfers are vulnerable, as shark encounters are unpredictable and can happen without warning.
The attack took place around 4 p.m. on June 29, 2025, when alarms sounded at Cabarita Beach after reports that a bull shark had chased and mauled the teenager in shallow water. The injuries he sustained were both painful and life-threatening.
Beachgoers immediately rushed to help, acting quickly to get the boy out of the water. According to the Daily Mail, one witness described the scene as horrifying, recalling that the boy’s arm was “dangling by a thread” during the rescue.
“His bicep was destroyed—you could see muscle, flesh, and bone,” the bystander said. “He lost a frightening amount of blood. I was covered in it.”
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| Jupiter, Florida – May 05, 2022: A bull sharks comes close to inspect tourist and their cameras during an eco tourism shark dive off of Jupiter, Florida on May 5, 2022. (Photo by Joseph Prezioso/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images) |
Volunteer surf lifesaver Thiago Collela from the Rainbow Bay Surf Club was also present. He said he had been filming a seal in the water when he suddenly heard screams coming from the beach.
“I ran down as fast as I could,” he told ABC Australia. “Other surfers were carrying the injured boy on a surfboard to the grass, where a female paramedic was waiting.”
Mr. Collela stayed with the teenager, holding his head and talking to him to keep him calm while a tourniquet was applied to control the bleeding.
“He even said, ‘I think I kicked the shark twice,’ and I told him, ‘Good job,’” Collela recalled.
Another witness, 16-year-old Bohdi McDonald, was just 30 meters away at the time of the attack. He said he saw the shark “thrashing around in the shallow water” as people desperately tried to bring the injured boy to safety.
“It looked like the shark was trying to bite him again,” he said.
Remarkably, despite the severity of the attack, the teenager survived. Footage of the terrifying incident shows just how close the encounter came to ending in tragedy.
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