Shark attack victim identified as ‘disturbing’ details of fatal incident on Bribie Island beach emerge
A teenage girl who was killed by a shark at a popular beach on Bribie Island, north of Brisbane, was there with her best friend who has been left traumatised after the horrifying attack occurred about 4.45pm on Monday.
Locals told 7NEWS they thought 17-year-old Charlize Zmuda was caught in a rip as she was “wading out” in the water, and had been heading down to help her before screaming rang out across Woorim Beach, near the Fourth Ave access point.
WATCH THE VIDEO ABOVE: Teen girl killed by shark on Bribie Island beach.
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By continuing you agree to our Terms and Privacy Policy.Paramedics called to the scene found Zmuda fighting for life with catastrophic upper body injuries, and rushed into the water to help her.
The 17-year-old girl died about 15 minutes after the attack.
A report will be prepared for the Coroner.
Zmuda’s uncle joined their grieving family on the beach for the sunrise on Tuesday morning, and told 7NEWS that his niece had swum at the beach every day, she was a surf lifesaver and deeply familiar with the waters there.
She was a surf lifesaver, and had just attended her school formal on Friday.
Bribie Island local Christopher Potter said he and the tight-knit community have been rattled by the incident.
“It’s absolutely shocking. It’s very disturbing to see,” he told 7NEWS.
“We all love the beach, we all love to go for a late afternoon dip around here — to hear about this, yeah, it’s sent shock waves through everyone.”
Bribie Island parents flocked to social media to share their condolences, some of who said their own teenage children had been swimming metres away, or had been swimming at the exact same spot just prior to the attack.
One girl was seen visibly distressed on the beach just after the incident, as others appeared to comfort her.
There have been a number of shark sighting at the popular surf beach in recent weeks, local surf lifesavers told 7NEWS.
In 2019, a Queensland surfer was knocked off his board by a shark at the same beach, but was fortunate to survive.
Originally published on 7NEWS
