Australia Reviews Coogee Drone Curbs After 35-Year-Old Woman Suffers Shark Attack
Updated
Updated · Reuters · Jun 14
Australia Reviews Coogee Drone Curbs After 35-Year-Old Woman Suffers Shark Attack
3 articles · Updated · Reuters · Jun 14
Summary
Australia's civil aviation regulator said it will examine whether to adapt drone rules over Coogee Beach after a shark attack left a 35-year-old woman critically injured.
The woman was bitten about 30 metres from shore at eastern Sydney's Coogee Beach on Saturday, suffering serious injuries to her lower left leg and arms; hospital staff said she was critical but stable on Sunday.
Coogee and other beaches in Randwick Council were closed for 24 hours, while drones were flown under emergency provisions to scan for sharks.
Coogee faces tighter commercial drone limits because it sits under the flight path of Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport, complicating routine shark surveillance.
New South Wales said it is weighing broader safety measures after a tough summer of shark activity; Australia averages about 20 shark incidents a year, mostly along its east and southeast coasts.