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Australia shark attack: Man suffers 'eight-hour' ordeal | Australia shark attack: Man suffers 'eight-hour' ordeal |
(35 minutes later) | |
An Australian diver who was mauled by a bull shark before being rescued and taken to a remote island had to wait more than eight hours to receive treatment for his wounds, emergency services say. | |
The scuba diver was attacked on the Great Barrier Reef, in a remote area off the north Queensland coast. | |
Media reports say torrential rain hampered the rescue effort. | |
The man, 55, suffered injuries to his hand, chest and stomach. | The man, 55, suffered injuries to his hand, chest and stomach. |
He was bitten repeatedly by the shark in what medics termed a particularly aggressive attack, and suffered significant blood loss. | |
He is now reported to be in a stable condition in hospital. | He is now reported to be in a stable condition in hospital. |
An emergency services spokesman told ABC News that the injured man received treatment on his boat after being picked up near an island in the Torres Strait. | An emergency services spokesman told ABC News that the injured man received treatment on his boat after being picked up near an island in the Torres Strait. |
Medics performed first aid to stem the bleeding, but it took about five hours to reach a medical clinic on nearby Murray Island. | |
The spokesman said bad weather meant it then took another three hours for a rescue helicopter to arrive from Horn Island and take him to Thursday Island. | The spokesman said bad weather meant it then took another three hours for a rescue helicopter to arrive from Horn Island and take him to Thursday Island. |
What is behind a spike in Australian shark attacks? | What is behind a spike in Australian shark attacks? |
Queensland Ambulance Service Supervisor Kirk Binnington told the Sydney Morning Herald that the attack occurred 65 nautical miles (75 miles; 120km) east of Murray Island. | Queensland Ambulance Service Supervisor Kirk Binnington told the Sydney Morning Herald that the attack occurred 65 nautical miles (75 miles; 120km) east of Murray Island. |
Just a few hundred people live on the small volcanic island, which is covered with dense vegetation. | |
"You can't get more remote than that," Mr Binnington said. | "You can't get more remote than that," Mr Binnington said. |