Teen Mauled by Shark at Popular Australian Beach as Bystanders Rush to Rescue

The footage

A 16-year-old boy was severely mauled by a nearly 7-foot shark off the coast of Cabarita Beach in Bogangar, New South Wales, in a harrowing attack that unfolded in front of shocked beachgoers on Sunday afternoon.

The incident occurred just before 4 p.m. and was captured on dramatic video showing the terrifying moment the shark raced toward shore behind the injured teen. The predator inflicted serious wounds to the right side of the boy’s body, including his leg, hand, and arm.

Bystanders rushed to help the 16-year-old while the shark was still lurking close behind him

Panicked screams filled the air as the shark’s dorsal fin remained visible in the water while the teen struggled. In a display of bravery, a bystander punched the shark to fend it off, allowing others to reach the boy and pull him to safety.

Using a surfboard as a makeshift stretcher, beachgoers carried the teen out of the surf. An off-duty paramedic from Queensland applied a tourniquet to the injured limbs to slow the bleeding before emergency crews arrived.

The teen was attacked by the predator at Cabarita Beach in Bogangar, New South Wales, shortly before 4 p.m. Sunday

“I’m not sure whether he was with any other friends at the time of the incident, but by the time our lifeguards got there, he had already had a tourniquet applied to those impacted limbs,” said NSW Surf Lifesaving CEO Stephen Pearce.

The teen was airlifted to Gold Coast University Hospital in serious but stable condition.

The incident serves as a stark reminder of the unpredictable danger posed by sharks along Australia’s coastline, even in well-patrolled, popular swimming areas.

A group of bystanders carried the boy to safety on a surfboard used as a makeshift stretcher