Australia Shark Attack: Man Allegedly Mauled to Death by Bull Shark at Great Barrier Reef off Queensland Coast, 2nd Incident Within Week
A 39-year-old spearfisher has died after a shark attack near the Great Barrier Reef in Queensland, marking Australia’s second fatal shark attack this month. Police said the man was bitten near Kennedy Shoal before being rushed ashore, where he later died. Authorities suspect a bull shark may have been involved. The incident has renewed concerns over shark encounters in Australian waters.
A 39-year-old man has died after being attacked by a shark near the Great Barrier Reef in Queensland, marking the second fatal shark attack reported in Australia this month, police said. The victim, identified in local reports as Michael Jensz, was spearfishing near Kennedy Shoal, a shallow reef located around 45 kilometres off the Queensland coast, when the incident occurred on Sunday.
According to Queensland Police Service, the man was rushed back to shore after suffering serious bite injuries and was met by emergency medical personnel. He died shortly afterwards. Sydney Shark Attack: 12-Year-Old Nico Antic Succumbs to Injuries, Several Beaches Shut.
Man Killed in Australia Shark Attack: Spearfisher Was Diving With Friends
Reports said Jensz had been diving from a boat with three friends at the time of the attack. Authorities have not officially confirmed the shark species involved, but local reports indicated a bull shark had been spotted in the area shortly before the incident.
Bull sharks are widely regarded among the world’s most dangerous shark species due to their aggressive behaviour and ability to swim in both saltwater and freshwater environments. Sydney Shark Attack: 2 Critically Injured in 3 Separate Attacks in Just Over 24 Hours in Australia, Swimmers Urged To Stay out of Water.
The attack has deeply affected the local spearfishing community. “I saw the police officer … at the ramp stopping people from coming in, and you just thinking to yourself, ‘That could have been me out there today,’” spearfisher Ebony Harper said.
She added that the incident felt particularly personal because the victim was a fellow spearfisher. “They’re becoming very in tune with the sound of motors, the sound of your spear gun,” Harper said, referring to increased shark activity near the Great Barrier Reef.
Second Fatal Shark Attack in Days
The incident follows another fatal shark attack reported in Western Australia earlier this month. On May 16, 38-year-old Steven Mattaboni was killed while diving near Horseshoe Reef off Rottnest Island near Perth. He was reportedly bitten on the leg by a suspected 16-foot great white shark.
The deaths of Jensz and Mattaboni mark the second and third fatal shark attacks recorded in Australia this year. According to Australia’s Shark Incident Database, the country averages around three fatal shark attacks annually.
Conservation groups estimate that Australia records around 20 shark attacks every year, though the majority are non-fatal. Experts note that significantly more people die from drowning incidents along Australian beaches each year than from shark encounters.
Earlier this year, dozens of beaches along Australia’s east coast, including several in Sydney, were temporarily closed following four shark attacks in two days. Authorities had linked those incidents to heavy rainfall, which created murky water conditions that can attract sharks and reduce underwater visibility.
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on May 26, 2026 12:44 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).
