Man Dies After Shark Attack on Great Barrier Reef

A 39-year-old man died after being attacked by a shark while fishing on the Great Barrier Reef on Sunday, police said. It is the second fatal shark attack in Australia this month.

The man was one of four people who had set out in a seven-metre boat for Kennedy Shoal, a shallow reef about 45 km off the coast of Queensland in northeastern Australia, Queensland Police Inspector Elaine Burns told reporters.

"We believe the man had been spearfishing when he was attacked and died from a critical head injury", she said. "He was retrieved from the water by another person who was in the water with him at the time of the attack."

Burns said it took more than an hour for the boat to reach shore after rescue services were called. She added that it was not yet clear what species of shark was responsible and that no one else was injured.

Police did not identify the man.

According to conservation groups, there are about 20 shark attacks in Australia each year, but the vast majority are not fatal. Many more people drown on local beaches.

Dozens of beaches on Australia's east coast, including in Sydney, were closed in January after four shark attacks in two days. The attacks followed heavy rains that caused the water to become murky, which attracts sharks and reduces their visibility.

(reuters, luc)