Coogee Beach Reopens Under Drone Patrols After 35-Year-Old Woman Mauled by Shark

3 articles · Updated · Reuters · Jun 15

Coogee Beach reopened Monday with lifeguards, jet ski patrols and a shark-spotting drone after a 35-year-old woman was critically injured in a shark attack on Saturday.
The swimmer was bitten about 30 metres from shore by a shark estimated at three to four metres long, suffering serious arm and leg injuries; she remains in hospital in stable condition.
New South Wales is now reviewing safety measures, including aerial surveillance rules, because Coogee sits beneath Sydney airport flight paths that normally restrict drone use.
The attack adds to a recent run of Australian shark incidents, including three fatal attacks in recent weeks, as debate revives over culling versus tech-based measures such as drones and smart drum lines.
Reuters analysis of the Australian Shark Incident Database shows encounters averaging nearly 29 a year over the past decade, up from about 16 annually in the 2000s.