The iconic Bondi and Bronte beaches in Sydney were closed on Thursday after a swimmer died in a shark attack. It was the first shark-related death on Sydney beaches in nearly 60 years.
The attack site has been surrounded by drum lines, which serve as bait for sharks, and drones have been deployed to see if the shark is still present.
Shark attack video shared online shows a shark attacking a swimmer on Wednesday afternoon off Little Bay beach, about 20 kilometers (12 miles) south of Australia’s largest city and near the entrance to Botany Bay. Police have not yet identified the victim.
The attack occurred just days before the Murray Rose Malabar Magic Ocean Swim, an annual charity event attended by thousands of swimmers at a nearby beach. It was noted that the organizers are monitoring the situation; should the event have to be postponed, it would be held on March 6.
It was the first fatal shark attack in Sydney since 1963, according to Department of Primary Industries data. A shark biologist at the agency believes a white shark at least 3 meters (9.8 feet) long likely caused the attack.
The authorities have advised people not to get into the water during a hot summer day, as the temperature hovered around 30 degrees Celsius (86 degrees Fahrenheit).
