A 12-yr-old boy who was bitten by a shark in Sydney Harbour has died from his injuries, his family has confirmed.
The parents of Nico Antic said their son died after suffering serious injuries when he was attacked by a large shark last week while jumping into the water with friends, reports RTE.
“We are heartbroken to share that our son, Nico, has passed away,” Lorena and Juan Antic said in a statement, reports RTE.
At the time of the incident, the children had been jumping into the water from a six-metre rock in the eastern Sydney suburb of Vaucluse.
Police said recent heavy rainfall had flowed into the harbour, leaving the water cloudy, reports RTE.
Nico was experiencing severe blood loss when he was pulled into a police vessel and rushed to hospital in critical condition.
“Nico was a happy, friendly, and sporty young boy with the most kind and generous spirit. He was always full of life and that’s how we’ll remember him,” his parents said, reports RTE.
The shark attack that ultimately claimed Nico’s life was one of four reported over a two-day period, leading authorities to close dozens of beaches across Sydney.
It marked the city’s third recent shark-related fatality, reports RTE.
In September, surfer Mercury Psillakis was killed by a great white shark at a well-known northern Sydney beach.
Two months later, a woman was killed by a bull shark while swimming at a remote beach north of Sydney, reports RTE.
Australian researchers believe factors such as busier waterways and rising ocean temperatures are altering shark migration patterns, which may be contributing to an increase in attacks.
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