Australian Boy, 12, Dies After Shark Attack in Sydney Harbour

A 12-year-old boy has died from injuries sustained in a shark attack last week in Sydney Harbour, Australian authorities confirmed.

The victim, identified as Nico Antic, was jumping into the water with friends from a rock in the Vaucluse suburb when he was bitten by a large shark. He was rescued by police and rushed to the hospital in critical condition but succumbed to his injuries on Saturday.

“We are heartbroken to share that our son, Nico, has passed away,” his parents, Lorena and Juan Antic, said in a statement. They remembered him as “a happy, friendly, and sporty young boy with the most kind and generous spirit.”

Police noted that recent heavy rains had made the harbour water murky at the time of the attack. The incident was one of four reported shark encounters in Sydney over a two-day period, leading to the temporary closure of dozens of local beaches.

This marks Sydney’s third fatal shark attack in recent months. In September, a surfer was killed by a great white shark, followed by a woman killed by a bull shark in November.

Scientists suggest that rising ocean temperatures and busier coastal waters may be influencing shark behavior and migration, potentially contributing to an increase in encounters.