Shark attack victim Lauren O’Neill likely to make full recovery after Elizabeth Bay mauling

Staff writers
The Nightly
Lauren O'Neill has been identified as the shark attack victim.

The victim of Monday night’s shark attack in Sydney Harbour has broken her silence from her hospital bed, revealing that she is likely to make a full recovery.

Lauren O’Neill said in a statement read outside St Vincent’s Hospital in Darlinghurst that she had returned to her Elizabeth Bay home from her job as a microbiologist when the mercury was still at 30C on Monday, prompting her fateful decision to head down to the jetty in front of her apartment for a dip, often a nightly routine for the 29-year-old.

She also said she was well aware of the dangers of swimming in the harbour at dusk, which is when the attack happened.

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Ms O’Neill thanked neighbours who responded to the scene at the private wharf, where they found suffering serious leg injuries following the attack by what experts believe was a bull shark.

In her statement she said she “Wishes to thank the heroic and very kind neighbours for the critical assistance provided”.

She extended her thanks to NSW Ambulance paramedics, Kings Cross Police and St Vincent’s Hospital in Darlinghurst, who all played a vital role in her survival.

“Her likely full recovery is testament to their extraordinary skills,” the satement read, before going on to thank the public for its support. She also made a request for people to respect her family’s privacy.

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