Shark Attacks Female Visitors To Death, One Injured

JAKARTA - A shark killed a woman and injured a man who was swimming on the national park beach on Australia's east coast.

Experts say sharks rarely attack more than one person.

The attack took place in Crowdy Bay National Park, known for its camping grounds, fishing grounds, and hiking trails, 360 kilometers north of Sydney.

Beaches in the area and north of the attack site were closed to swimmers indefinitely, said Police Chief Inspector Timothy Bayly.

Emergency services were called to Kylies Beach following reports that two people in their mid-20s had been bitten by a shark at 06.30 local time.

Bayly declined to elaborate on the injury or state of the attack. "At this stage, all I can say is they know each other and they are swimming and the sharks are attacking," Bayly told reporters.

An eyewitness helped the couple on the beach before ambulance paramedics arrived, but the woman died at the scene.

The man was flown by helicopter to hospital, and paramedics Josh Smyth said the man's condition was seriously injured.

Smyth said the first aid given to people around the scene might prevent double deaths.

"I really want to thank the person around the scene on the beach who put an emergency torque at the man's feet, which obviously has the potential to save his life and allow New South Wales ambulance paramedics to come and provide first aid," said Smyth.