Far north Queensland: Man dies after suffering critical injuries in shark attack

A man has been killed by a shark in far north Queensland.

The man, aged 39, was taken by boat to a ramp near Tully Heads to waiting paramedics on Sunday, but died soon after.

Police described the death as sudden and non-suspicious.

“Emergency services were called to Hull River Heads boat ramp just before 12pm, following reports a man had been attacked by a shark while out at Kennedy Shoal,” a police spokesperson said.

“The man was retrieved from the water and died from his injuries.

“As the matter is before the coroner, it would be inappropriate to comment further.”

He was taken to the boat ramp near Tully Heads, 120km south of Cairns.

“One male patient in his 30s is being assessed in a life-threatening condition at the Hull River Heads Boat Ramp following a reported shark attack at 12.03pm,” a Queensland Ambulance spokesperson said earlier.

The ambulance service spokesperson confirmed paramedics had been called ahead to meet the injured man. The spokesperson was unable to confirm if the other people on the boat knew the injured man.

The fatal attack comes just a week after father of two Steven ‘Mattas’ Mattaboni was killed by a great white shark near Rottnest Island off the Western Australia coast.

Mr Mattaboni, 38, was out with friends when the shark bit him on the leg.

His friends were spotted consoling each other shortly afterwards, having witnessed the entire attack before retrieving his body from the water and performing CPR.

Mr Mattaboni’s wife, Shirene, described him as “fiercely loyal, endlessly generous, and the kind of man who would give you the shirt off his back” in a heartbreaking statement.

“Our hearts are irrevocably broken by the loss of Steven, known affectionately to his mates as ‘Mattas’,” she said per The West Australian.

“The world has lost a truly one-of-a-kind gentleman, and our daughters have lost an incredible father far too soon.”