This article was published on 13 June 2026 and updated on 23 September 2026.
23 September 2026 update
Leah Stewart has described a setback in her recovery. Reporting on her Instagram update on 22 September, The Inertia says a skin graft on her injured leg had failed, according to Stewart. The procedure involved transferring skin from her right thigh to the left side.
According to the report, Stewart said the wound on her leg remained open three and a half months after the attack. She described feeling deeply disappointed by the setback. She was also taking a temporary break from a negative-pressure wound therapy device, allowing her to move a little more freely. The next steps in her treatment remained unclear.
A 35-year-old swimmer was seriously injured by a shark at Coogee Beach in Sydney on Saturday morning, 13 June 2026. The Reuters report published by CNA initially described a woman in her 30s; later Australian reports gave her age as 35.
NSW Police said emergency services were called to Coogee Beach shortly before 11:15 a.m. Members of the public pulled the woman from the water and began first aid before police and paramedics took over.
1 September 2026 update: Stewart describes the attack
In her first full television interview since the 13 June attack, Leah Stewart has described how she experienced the fight for survival. ABC News summarised the interview broadcast by Nine’s 60 Minutes on 30 August the following day.
Stewart said the shark pulled her underwater and came within about 30 centimetres of her face. Because she is right-handed, she chose to strike with her left hand and punched the animal repeatedly until it released her. She said her overriding thought was that she had to return to her young daughter.
Off-duty volunteer lifesaver Charlie Verco reached Stewart on a paddleboard and brought her back to shore. Lifeguards and an off-duty doctor performed CPR, while police applied tourniquets. Stewart lost a large amount of blood, spent more than a week in an induced coma and underwent multiple operations. Her lower left arm was amputated.
More than A$550,000 has now been donated to Stewart and her family. ABC describes the shark as a great white about four metres long. The new report still provides no additional forensic confirmation of the species, so the article continues to label that identification as probable rather than conclusive.
23 August update: Leah Stewart speaks about her recovery
More than two months after the attack, Leah Stewart has spoken in detail about her recovery for the first time. As ABC News reports, the 35-year-old wrote on her family’s fundraising page that she has made enough progress to regain some independence. She sees her survival as a second chance at life, although she still has a long road ahead.
ABC now gives a fuller account of her injuries: Stewart suffered bite wounds to her leg and arms, multiple fractures and major blood loss. She was placed in an induced coma for several days and underwent multiple operations, including the amputation of one arm. She describes her recovery as remarkable, but not yet complete.
More than A$500,000 was raised for her treatment and rehabilitation. Stewart thanked supporters in her community and around the world, while asking for donations to stop. She said the assistance already received would allow her family to remain in their home and plan for future medical treatment.
About 11 days after the attack, Stewart was briefly brought out of the induced coma and was able to speak with her family. According to her brother, her first thoughts were of her daughter. The new message is the first personal account from Stewart herself about the months following the attack.
ABC now describes the shark as a great white, but the new report does not provide additional forensic or expert details about how the species was identified. The incident record therefore continues to list the identification as probable rather than conclusively confirmed.
View this post on Instagram
A post shared by ABC News (@abcnews_au)
Rescue at Coogee Beach
ABC News reported that the woman had been swimming about 30 meters from the beach. According to Randwick City Council, she was close to shore in the marked swimming area between the flags.
Medically trained first responders were among those who helped on the sand. The injuries affected her left lower leg and arms; after initial treatment she was taken to St Vincent’s Hospital in Sydney in critical condition.
AP later described the rescue by surf lifesaver Charlie Verco, who paddled out to the injured swimmer. Other helpers then reached them and brought the woman back to shore.
Beach closures after the attack
Randwick City Council closed Coogee, Clovelly, Maroubra and other beaches in its area for at least 24 hours. Waverley Council also closed Bondi, Bronte and Tamarama as a precaution.
Lifeguards, Surf Life Saving NSW, police and other authorities monitored the area after the attack. Beachgoers were urged to follow closures and warning signs and stay out of the water until the beaches were reopened.
Which shark species may have been involved
The shark species has not been officially confirmed. Randwick Council referred to a shark believed to be 3 to 4 meters long. AP quoted a lifeguard who believed it was an approximately 3.5-meter white shark.
The Guardian reported on 14 June that drone and helicopter footage after the attack indicated a white shark in the area. Experts also stressed that this sighting does not automatically identify the shark involved in the bite.
The case is therefore recorded as a serious, nonfatal and unprovoked shark attack while swimming. The species entry remains cautious: white shark, Carcharodon carcharias, is the most likely identification from the current sources, but it has not been officially confirmed.
