Woman fighting for life as shark mauls face on popular tourist beach

10 November 2023 , 08:13

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The woman in her 30s was attacked by a shark at The Esplanade in Port Noarlunga, South Australia (Image: 9 News)

A woman has been rushed to hospital with "significant" facial injuries after she was bitten on the head by a shark at a popular tourist beach.

Paramedics raced to the scene at The Esplanade in Port Noarlunga, South Australia at around 1.20pm local time on Friday following reports of a shark attack.

The 32-year-old woman, who was discovered conscious and breathing, was found to have suffered severe facial injuries and was taken to hospital.

A spokesperson for the local ambulance service described the injuries as “life-threatening”.

A spokesperson for the local ambulance service said her injuries were 'life-threatening' (9 News)

Photographs from the scene show swimmers and emergency services holding up tarpaulins around the woman to protect her privacy as she was taken to an ambulance. Multiple emergency services were at the scene, including police officers. A police spokesperson said: “Police with the assistance of other emergency services evacuated the water while a search to locate the shark was undertaken. Members of the public have since returned to the water after the search failed to locate the shark.” No details about the shark have been released.

Beachgoers flee in terror after mistaking whales for vicious attacking sharks

Last week, witnesses described the moment they saw a great white shark "launch and bite" at a surfer before dragging him to his death in a "gruesome" attack along the same stretch of coast. Ian Brophy, 70, was about to step into the sea at Granite Beach, Streaky Bay, South Australia when he heard someone shout "shark" at around 10.20am on Tuesday. He spotted the surfer, 55, "getting torn apart" in front of shocked beachgoers. Minutes later there was "blood everywhere" and nothing left but the surfer's board following the attack, he said.

Mr Brophy said he has "never seen anything like that" in his sixty years of surfing. Recalling the horrifying attack, he told The Advertiser: "As I turned around I saw the shark go and just launch and bite… over the top of the guy and bite and drag him down under the water and then nothing for a minute or two and blood everywhere and then up pops the board.

Benedict Tetzlaff-Deas