A woman has been attacked by a shark in southern Sydney.
Brave locals brought the woman – aged in her 30s – to safety after she was bitten above the right knee about 1.30pm on Friday while she was swimming south of Gunyah Beach near the village of Bundeena.
Ambulance crews from Sutherland Shire Council are on the scene and a rescue helicopter is circling the area.
Kevin McKay, who witnessed the attack, said several bystanders ran into the water to provide assistance after the woman was bitten and helped her back up the beach.
‘We just witnessed a shark attack at Bundeena, south of Gunyah Beach,’ he said.
‘A woman with deep lacerations above the right knee. People were quick to jump in the water to bring her to shore and to apply pressure to stop the bleeding.
‘Local paramedics arrived within 19 minutes. I think she will be okay.’
He added the rescuers were alerted when they heard the woman scream.
Brave locals brought the woman to safety after she was bitten above the right knee at Bundeena, south of Gunyah Beach, just after 2pm on Friday
A rescue helicopter was called to Gunyah Beach on the edge of the Royal National Park
Mr McKay said he was unsure of what type of shark attacked the woman but bull sharks have been spotted recently in the area.
One local woman said she often swims at the same beach as a member of the Harold Holt Swimming club which meets on Monday, Wednesday and Saturday mornings at the Bundeena wharf.
In a strikingly similar incident, 29-year-old Lauren O’Neill was bitten on the leg by a bull shark as she swam off a private wharf in Sydney Harbour in January last year.
In that incident, emergency services quickly dispatched a helicopter to Billyard Avenue in Elizabeth Bay.
Ms O’Neill suffered blood loss with the lacerations down to the bone and was rushed to St Vincent’s hospital where she underwent surgery.
The operation managed to save her limb and she has since recovered.
