A 12-year-old boy who was injured in a shark attack at a well-known Sydney swimming spot is currently fighting for his life, according to information shared through an online fundraiser created by a family friend.
Friends rushed to help
The boy, Nico Antic, had been swimming with friends near a rock-jumping area close to Shark Beach in Vaucluse when he was bitten by what authorities believe was a bull shark.
When the incident occurred, one friend immediately jumped into the water to assist, while two others managed to pull Nico onto a nearby rock ledge after he lost consciousness.
Emergency responders later transferred him onto a police marine vessel, where CPR was performed and tourniquets were applied to serious injuries to his legs. He was then rushed to Sydney Children’s Hospital, where he remains in critical condition.
Nico, a junior lifesaver with the North Bondi Surf Life Saving Club, was placed into an induced coma and underwent emergency surgery. He also received multiple blood transfusions before arriving at the hospital.
Fundraiser update shared
Victor Piñeiro, who described himself as a close friend of the Antic family, posted an update on the fundraiser on Tuesday, stating that despite every medical effort, the situation had taken a devastating turn.
In his message, he wrote that Nico suffered severe injuries during the shark attack in Sydney Harbour and that the outcome has been heartbreaking for the family.
The fundraiser aims to support the Antic family with upcoming costs and arrangements during this extremely difficult period. Organizers emphasized that all donations will go directly to the family.
Community support grows
At the time of the update, more than $65,000 had been raised.
Media reports differ slightly on Nico’s condition. Nine News reports he is on life support, while the Sydney Morning Herald has stated he remains alive but in critical condition.
Series of recent shark incidents
The incident is part of a concerning run of shark encounters in the Sydney area.
Only a few kilometers away, an 11-year-old boy narrowly avoided serious injury on Monday after a large shark damaged his surfboard and knocked him into the water. Surf Life Saving NSW chief executive Steven Pearce said the child was extremely fortunate to survive, noting that his father was nearby at the time.
A fragment of the damaged surfboard has since been sent to New South Wales Fisheries to help determine the shark species involved.
Later the same day, another incident occurred at Manly Beach, where a man in his 20s was injured and remains in critical condition at Royal North Shore Hospital.
As a precaution, authorities have closed all Northern Beaches until further notice. Officials believe bull sharks were responsible for the first two incidents, while the species involved in the third attack has yet to be confirmed.
One witness reported seeing a bull shark measuring approximately 1.5 meters in length.