Incident Report
Diver Injured by Whitetip Reef Shark at Osprey Reef, Queensland
osprey reef, Queensland·Australia
A male diver sustained a surface wound to the arm and hand during a diving incident at Osprey Reef, Queensland in September 1985. A 2-meter whitetip reef shark was involved in the non-fatal encounter.
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Incident Profile
Individual
Location
Description
In September 1985, a diving incident occurred at Osprey Reef, a coastal site off Queensland, Australia. A male diver received a surface wound to the arm and hand during an encounter with a whitetip reef shark (Triaenodon obesus) measuring approximately 2 meters in length. The injury was non-fatal, and the diver survived the incident. Whitetip reef sharks are generally small, bottom-dwelling species found in tropical and subtropical waters. While typically docile, they may bite defensively if provoked or if food is present. This incident represents one of the relatively rare cases of injury involving this species in Australian waters.