A 12-year-old boy who was mauled by a shark in Sydney Harbour last week has died after days of fighting for his life in hospital.
Nico Antic was attacked on 18 January while jumping from a rock ledge into the water with his friends. Authorities believe the shark involved was likely a bull shark.
Confirming the tragic news, his parents, Lorena and Juan, said in a statement, “We are heartbroken to share that our son, Nico has passed away.”
The incident was among four shark attacks reported along the New South Wales coastline within a 48-hour period.
Paying tribute to their son, the family described Nico as, “a happy, friendly, and sporty young boy with the most kind and generous spirit. He was always full of life and that’s how we’ll remember him.”
The family had originally emigrated to Australia from Argentina.
Nico’s friends have been widely commended for their courage after they leapt into the water to rescue him following the attack last Sunday afternoon.
Despite their efforts, Nico sustained severe injuries to his leg and was rushed to Sydney Children’s Hospital in a critical condition.
Doctors placed him in an induced coma after he underwent emergency surgery.
In the wake of the tragedy, an online fundraising campaign established to support the family has raised about $240,000 (£121,308).
The fatal incident comes amid a recent surge in shark encounters along Australia’s east coast, with three attacks recorded in Sydney alone over the past week.
On Monday, a surfer narrowly avoided injury after encountering a shark off Sydney’s northern beaches. Just hours later, a 27-year-old man suffered what authorities described as “life-changing” injuries in another attack at a nearby beach.
A day later, a 39-year-old man was rescued from the water on the Mid North Coast of New South Wales after surviving a shark bite that left him with a chest wound. He was taken to hospital for treatment.
Experts have linked the recent spate of attacks to days of heavy rainfall, saying the conditions created a “perfect storm” for bull sharks, which are known to favour murky waters.
The rain is also believed to have washed nutrients into the ocean, attracting sharks closer to shore.
As a precaution, several Sydney beaches were temporarily closed but many have since reopened ahead of the Australia Day long weekend as weather conditions improved.
