Man bitten by shark while snorkelling on Great Barrier Reef
A man in his 50s was airlifted to Bundaberg Hospital with deep lacerations and puncture wounds after a shark bite; western snorkeling zones have been closed as a precaution.
- A man in his 50s was bitten by a shark off Lady Elliott Island, 85 kilometres north-east of Bundaberg on the Southern Great Barrier Reef, with the incident reported on March 5, 2026.
- On the island's western side, the three men were snorkelling about 8am and swam ashore after the bite to alert staff.
- Resort staff provided immediate assistance and stabilised the man, and Queensland Ambulance Service said he suffered a significant arm wound and minor wounds to his abdomen and hand.
- The resort closed western snorkelling zones until further notice as a precaution, and staff and marine shark experts are monitoring the area while in‑house guests have been informed.
- Peter Gash, the island custodian, noted he could not recall another shark bite in his 20 years, and officials said the type of shark is unknown while advising against swimming at dawn, dusk, or in murky water.
17 Articles
17 Articles
For two decades there was no shark attack - now a snorcher was attacked by a predator in front of the Australian island Lady Elliot Island. The victim was seriously wounded during the attack.
Shark Attack Leaves Snorkeler Hospitalized with Puncture Wounds on His Hand and Deep Lacerations to His Arm
The attack took place on the Great Barrier Reef in Queensland, Australia, on March 5Stock image of a sharkCredit: GettyNEED TO KNOWA man in his fifties was left with "puncture wounds to his hands" and "deep lacerations" to his arms after being bitten by a shark in Queensland, Australia, on March 5The attack took place at the famous Great Barrier ReefThe man — who had been snorkeling with two friends — was airlifted to the hospital after managing…
Rare attack in the Great Barrier Reef: A snorcher is attacked and injured by a shark in Australia's natural paradise.
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