Shark savages skipper in latest Whitsundays attack

A SHARK attack survivor fought off a bronze whaler shark as it had “a couple of bites at him” while swimming off a luxury superyacht on the outer Great Barrier Reef.

The 25-year-old skipper, of Airlie Beach, was bitten at least twice – on the right buttock and left hip – at Line Reef in the world-famous tourist haven of the Whitsundays about 12.30pm yesterday.

He was listed in a “stable condition” in Mackay Base Hospital after the mauling about 15km north of one of the reef’s most popular snorkelling sites at Heart Pontoon on Hardy Reef.

It is the fourth confirmed shark attack on the Great Barrier Reef in the Whitsundays region in six months.

RACQ CQ rescue chopper and critical-care paramedics airlifted the victim, who was sitting up and conscious, to Mackay Hospital for treatment from the Hardy Reef helipad.

He told rescuers he believed it was a bronze whaler shark, which can grow up to 3.5m and 300kg, that attacked. “He said it had a couple of bites at him,’’ a RACQ CQ Rescue spokeswoman said.

The skipper fought off the shark and swam back to the superyacht.