Spearfisher Dies in Shark Attack on Great Barrier Reef

A 39-year-old man died after being attacked by a shark while spearfishing at Kennedy Shoal on the Great Barrier Reef on Sunday. The victim was with three friends on a private boat when the attack occurred about 45 km off the Queensland coast south of Cairns. Police Inspector Elaine Burns said the man sustained a critical head injury and was retrieved from the water by one of his companions.

The group reached the boat ramp at Hull Heads around noon local time, where paramedics declared the man dead. An ambulance service statement said he had sustained injuries not compatible with life. Kennedy Shoal is a shallow coral reef popular with recreational fishers and divers visiting the nearby 19th-century shipwreck Lady Bowen.

The species of shark involved remains unknown, though fishers had reported bull sharks in the area.

Police described the death as sudden and non-suspicious and will prepare a report for the coroner. Officers are providing support to the three surviving companions who witnessed the attack.

“We believe the man had been spearfishing when he was attacked and died from a critical head injury.”

The incident is Australia's third fatal shark attack in 2026. A 38-year-old man was killed while spearfishing near Rottnest Island off Western Australia on May 16, and a 12-year-old boy died after an attack off a Sydney beach on January 18. Australia has recorded an average of more than three fatal shark attacks per year in recent decades, according to historical data maintained by researchers.