Australian Teenage Girl Killed in Gruesome Shark Attack Near Popular Surf Spot

A 17-year-old girl was visiting Bribie Island in Queensland, Australia when she was involved in a horrific shark attack on Monday, Feb. 3.

The young girl was reportedly swimming in the water at approximately 4:45 p.m. local time as the shark approached, biting her on the arm shortly after.

Although authorities rushed to the scene and paramedics attempted life-saving measures, the teenager was unable to survive her injuries.

Local resident, Christopher Potter, spoke with Channel 7 News regarding the location of the tragedy:

"A lot of people have swimming groups around here, they do swim along here morning and afternoon," he said. "I've been here for many, many years and I've never seen anything like it. I've never heard of this happening."

Potter explained that while people are aware of the sharks, one never expects an attack to happen.

According to ABC, Woorim Beach, where the incident occurred, is protected with drumlines to catch sharks by using bait and large hooks — this is a safety precaution in place for beach visitors.

"Their job is to capture very large and possibly dangerous sharks that try to reach beaches," as stated on the Surf Life Saving Queensland website. "If lifesavers spot a shark, they will sound a siren or ring a bell, put up the red flag and tell you to leave the water immediately."

Despite having extensive protocols in place, coupled with thorough staff training, risk will still present itself while in the ocean.

This tragedy marks the fourth fatality in the region in under 18 months and comes roughly one month after 28-year-old surfer Lance Appleby was killed by a shark at Granites Beach, South Australia.

Woorim Beach is a popular destination for surfing and swimming, located on the eastern side of Bribie Island. Authorities state that the beach will remain closed to the public until further notice.