Shark attack claims life of 40-yr-old man at Australia's Great Barrier Reef

A 40-year-old man was killed by a shark while fishing with family at Australia's Great Barrier Reef.

A shark has attacked and killed a 40-year-old man fishing with his family in the waters of Australia's Great Barrier Reef, officials said.

While fishing in the Great Barrier Reef seas of Australia with his family, a 40-year-old man was attacked and murdered by a shark (REUTERS/representational)

The predator struck on Saturday afternoon off Humpy Island on the country's east coast, emergency services said.

"The man was fishing with family members when he was bitten by a shark," Queensland state police said in a statement.

He sustained "life-threatening injuries" and died about an hour-and-a-half afterwards, police said, adding that a report would be prepared for the coroner.

They were unable to confirm whether he was spearfishing at the time.

A Queensland ambulance spokeswoman told AFP on Sunday the man died at the scene after sustaining a "significant life-threatening wound to his neck".

Humpy Island, which lies in the Great Barrier Reef's Keppel Bay Islands National Park, has a popular camping ground that gives easy access to reefs for diving and snorkeling.

The country's last fatal shark attack was in December 2023, when what was believed to be a great white killed a 15-year-old boy at a remote surfing spot in South Australia.

There have been more than 1,200 shark incidents in Australia since 1791, of which over 250 resulted in death, according to a national database.

Most serious bites are from white sharks, bull sharks, and tiger sharks.