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.
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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.
