A shark attack australia tourist has died after being attacked by a shark off New Caledonia, according to public broadcaster New Caledonia 1 TV.
On Sunday afternoon, a 59-year-old man was swimming near a pontoon at Chateau-Royal beach in Noumea when a shark attacked him around 4 p.m. local time, according to New Caledonia 1’s report.
Two people on a jetski tried to rescue the man but his injuries proved fatal, according to broadcaster reports. CPR was administered but unfortunately, no recovery was possible for him.
Authorities responded by closing beaches in Noumea, a popular destination for international tourists in France’s overseas territory.
New Caledonia 1 issued a statement noting that swimming and nautical activities had been suspended within a 300-meter coastal band until further notice. A shark culling program has also been activated as a result of the attack, it added.
This was the second shark attack Australia within a month at Chateau-Royal beach. In late January, a 49-year-old woman suffered multiple injuries after being attacked by a bull shark while swimming, according to the Global Shark Attack File.
Following that attack, nearby beaches were shut down and only reopened last Thursday, according to local media reports.
According to World Bank data, international visitors to Noumea – famed for its crystal blue water and idyllic beaches – drastically decreased during the pandemic. However, the industry is slowly recovering.
New Caledonia’s tourism website urges visitors to exercise caution when swimming and only do so in areas that are monitored by authorities who conduct patrols and track shark alerts.
Florida Museum ranks the archipelago 13th on their list of unprovoked shark attacks since 1580, with 19 incidents recorded. However, it lags far behind the US which experienced over 1,600 incidents during that same timeframe. Australia, South Africa, and Brazil follow behind in terms of total attacks.
In February 2021, New Caledonia experienced its most recent fatal attack when a tiger shark is believed to have mauled a yachtsman on Maitre islet, according to local news reports.
French Guiana lies to the east of Australia’s coastline and north of New Zealand; it attracts most tourists between September and November.
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