According to local authorities, a shark in the French Pacific territory of New Caledonia killed an Australian visitor close to a busy beach.
The shark attacked the 59-year-old man while he was swimming near a pontoon about 150 meters from the beach in the nation’s capital Noumea on Sunday, according to reports from authorities cited by the AFP news agency. He was bitten multiple times.
9news.com.au has called the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade to inquire into the man’s death.
Two individuals in a boat nearby carried him back to the beach, where medical responders attempted to resuscitate him, according to local prosecutor Yves Dupas, who spoke to AFP.
The man suffered severe bite injuries to both arms and a leg.
He received care, but he passed away right there.
At the time of the occurrence, the sea off the Chateau-Royal beach, located just south of the capital Noumea, was crowded with people.
Following a stampede from the sea to the beach, police ordered everyone to leave.
Authorities subsequently issued orders to capture bull sharks and tiger sharks in cages and to close the majority of the area’s beaches in response to the man’s passing.
Additionally, drones were used.
Australia is 1200 kilometers east of New Caledonia.
It is ranked 13th in the world for the overall number of shark attacks, according to the Florida Museum of Natural History.
