Incident Report
Hammerhead Shark Incident During Snorkelling at Upolu Cay, Cairns
upolu cay, cairns, Queensland·Australia
An 18-year-old female sustained minor lacerations to her arm while snorkelling at Upolu Cay near Cairns, Queensland in December 2002. A hammerhead shark was involved in the incident.
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Incident Profile
Individual
Location
Description
In December 2002, a snorkelling incident occurred at Upolu Cay, an island location in open ocean waters near Cairns, Queensland, Australia. An 18-year-old female snorkeller was injured by a hammerhead shark, sustaining minor lacerations to her arm. The snorkeller received treatment for the non-fatal wound. This incident occurred in a popular reef tourism area where encounters with large shark species, including hammerheads, are possible given the open ocean environment and proximity to deeper waters.