A snap ban on school trips to the beach has been called in South Australia after a shark attack occurred while children were in the water.
The state government is now bringing forward shark patrols and looking at other measures to ensure it is safe to go back in the water following a series of incidents throughout 2023.
On Friday, a shark bit a 32-year-old woman on the head at the popular Port Noarlunga beach, 30km south of Adelaide, leaving her with serious but non life-threatening injuries. Three school groups were present at the beach during the attack.
That followed the death of surfer Tod Gendle at Streaky Bay on the state’s west coast, while earlier in the month a woman survived after a shark bit her on the leg at Beachport in the state’s south-east. In May of this year there was another fatal shark attack in Streaky Bay when local school teacher Simon Baccanello was taken.
ThatIn response to the most recent attack at Port Noarlunga, the education department put a stop to “sea-based activities”. The education minister, Blaire Boyer, says that decision is now being “urgently” reviewed.
Shark patrols – spotter planes – will start scanning SA beaches on Saturday, two weeks earlier than usual.
“In light of the early introduction of shark patrols announced by the state government yesterday, the education department will meet urgently this week, with a group of industry experts, and other relevant bodies to look at what other risk mitigation can be put in place, with a view to resuming activities next week,” the education department’s chief executive, Martin Westwell, said on Tuesday.
Boyer told ABC radio the department had been operating in a “fast-moving environment” when it put the ban in place and that schoolchildren would be back in the ocean “ideally as early as next week”.
“The reality is that on Friday we had three schools down in the water at Port Noarlunga when the shark attack occurred,” he said. “There was at least one school in the water when the victim was rescued.
“In that environment, and given we were going to have schools back in the water on Monday, schools were seeking advice …and [the department] put a pause on those activities.”
The department was responding to “thousands of parents” concerned about their children being in the water, Boyer said.
The South Australian opposition leader, David Speirs, called the ban “very much over the top”, “jumping at shadows” and “embarrassing”.
“It will end up with kids having poorer water skills, poorer aquatic skills and as a consequence we’ll probably see more tragedy on our beaches, not less,” he said. “No one wants shark attacks to occur, but they’re extremely rare.”
The shark patrols comprise fixed wing aircraft surveying the highest risk beaches daily.
“We are taking quick and decisive action to deliver aerial shark patrols two weeks early, to ensure South Australians remain feeling at home on our beautiful beaches,” the emergency services minister, Joe Szakacs, said.
The State Emergency Service’s chief officer, Chris Beattie, said if there was a sighting, the aircraft would circle the area and sound its siren and people should immediately leave the water.
