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Man bitten by shark in third Whitsundays attack in three months


A man is in a critical condition after he was attacked by a shark at the Whitsunday Islands off Cid Harbour, where two tourists were mauled in separate attacks within 24 hours in September.

The man, believed to be in his 30s, is suffering “significant” leg and wrist injuries following the attack which happened about 5.35pm, Queensland Ambulance said in a tweet.

He had been swimming in the harbour off a private vessel.

He was airlifted to Mackay Hospital in a critical condition with bites to his left thigh, right calf and left wrist, an RACQ CQ Rescue spokeswoman told AAP on Monday.

A third person has been attacked by a shark in Cid Harbour in the Whitsundays after a 30-year-old man was bitten. A woman and a 12-year-old girl were bitten by sharks in September in the same area. Source: AAP (File pic)
A third person has been attacked by a shark in Cid Harbour in the Whitsundays after a 30-year-old man was bitten. A woman and a 12-year-old girl were bitten by sharks in September in the same area. Source: AAP (File pic)

In September, Melbourne girl, Hannah Papps, 12, received a life-threatening bite to her right leg while swimming in shallow water in Cid Harbour.

Her attack came after Tasmanian mother of two, Justine Barwick, 46, was bitten on her left thigh while snorkelling in the same area a day earlier.

In October a fisherman in his 50s was attacked near Yeppoon.

– With AAP