Aaron Bunch Journalist with Australian Associated Press | Collection of published work | + 61 484 008 119 | abunch@aap.com.au
Two sharks caught after fatal Qld attack
Investigations into a fatal Gold Coast shark attack are continuing after two tiger sharks were caught at nearby beaches.
September 10, 2020
Two tiger sharks have been caught near a Gold Coast beach where a surfer was fatally mauled, as investigations into the attack continue.
Local man Nick Slater was dragged by lifeguards and surfers from the ocean at Greenmount Beach at Coolangatta early Tuesday evening.
The 46-year-old real estate agent suffered serious leg injuries and was pronounced dead by paramedics at the scene minutes after they arrived.
Queensland Fisheries says two sharks were caught on a drumline and in a shark net near Greenmount Beach in the hours after the attack.
“There was a 3.3 metre tiger shark alive on a Shark Control Program drumline at North Kirra,” a spokesman said in a statement.
A two-metre tiger shark was found in a net a Currumbin.
Both animals were euthanised and disposed of offshore.
“Further investigations will be conducted to discover if there is any link between it and the fatal attack,” Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk told parliament on Wednesday.
Jade Parker was one of the surfers who waded out to help Mr Slater.
He found a 4cm tooth lodged in Mr Slater’s board, which he believed was from “an obvious white pointer”.
“It was a good size bite to the board,” Mr Parker told Seven Network.
Ms Palaszczuk said Mr Parker and the other rescuers who went to help Mr Slater were heroes.
“The courage to run into the surf moments after a shark attack is beyond admirable,” she told parliament.