Incident Mar. 20, 2012 - Australia - Billy O'Leary

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March 20, 2012
Billy O'Leary
Nobbys Beach, Gold Coast, Australia

Billy O'Leary, 20, was surfing at Nobbys beach on the Gold Coast with his best friend Tyson Kolkka. O'Leary attempted a trick known as a "floater" but when he fell he landed on a large shark. The shark turned and bit O'Leary on the back of his left leg. Noel Kolkka, Tyson's father saw a comotion down on the beach and came to see what had happened:

"I just ran down the beach and I saw Billy lying on the sand. The lifeguards had got to him fairly quickly and were binding up all of his wounds and stopping the blood flow."

O'Leary sustained two significant lacerations to his leg. See a picture of his injury here.

Warren Young, chief lifeguard, said the suspect shark was probably a bull shark, lured in by baitfish and murky water.

Nobbys Beach
Source

Source:
www.news.com.au

Incident Feb. 25, 2012 - Australia - Unknown Male

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February 25, 2012
Unknown Male
Broughton Island, NSW, Australia

An unidentified male was fishing in the water near Broughton Island when he was bitten on the foot by a Grey Nurse shark. As the man was not too seriously injured he was able to sail back to Nelson Bay where he recieved treatment for his inuries at Tomaree Hospital.

Source:
www.theherald.com.au

Grey Nurse shark
Source

Incident Jan. 19, 2012 - Australia - David Pickering

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January 19, 2012
David Pickering
The Lagoon, Coral Bay, Western Australia

David Pickering, 26, was leading a group of snorkelers at Coral Bay in Western Australia when he was bitten on the right forarm by what is believed to be a 10-foot Tiger shark. Mr. Pickering punched the shark with his free arm causing the shark to release him. He was able to warn his fellow snorkelers and swim 300 feet to shore. Mr. Pickering suffered some tendon damage but his injuries were not life-threatening. There have been sightings of Tiger sharks in the area.

Sources:
www.perthnow.com.au
www.huffingtonpost.com

Incident Jan. 18, 2012 - Australia - Glen Folkard

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January 18, 2012
Glen Folkard
Readhead Beach, Readhead, Australia

Glen Folkard, a 44-year-old tattoo artist was surfing beyond the breakers at Redhead Beach, something he has been doing daily for the past 30 years, when he was suddenly slammed into by a 10-foot long bull shark. The force of the blow threw him off his surfboard and as the shark bit into his thigh he was pulled under the water.

"He's hit me from underneath, he's grabbed me, he's turned me, took me under and then let go cause I think he had fiberglass in his mouth..."

As soon as the shark let go, Mr. Folkard climbed back onto his surfboard and started to paddle for the shore. With assistance from local surfer Nathan Visscher, Mr. Folkard managed to make it safely back to shore. Once on the beach, Mr. Visscher used his leg rope as a turniquet to help stop the bleeding.

Mr. Folkard spent several days in intensive care suffering from massive blood loss and needed 6 surgeries to rebuild his leg. Here is a picture of his leg 3 months after the attack.

Sources:
www.heraldsun.com.au
www.huffingtonpost.com

Incident Jan. 3, 2012 - Australia - Michael Wells

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January 3, 2012
Michael Wells
North Avoca Beach, NSW, Australia

Michael Wells, 28, of North Avoca, was surfing shortly before 8pm on Tuesday when the animal latched on and pulled him down. He was able to swim to shore and raise the alarm after hitting it.
Mr Wells was rushed to Gosford Hospital where he was treated for a 5cm laceration on his forearm and a puncture to his wrist.

He believes that he was attacked by a bronze whaler. Witnesses reported the shark was brown and about 1.8 metres long.



Source:
www.news.com.au

www.smh.com.au