Incident Report
13-Year-Old Swimmer Injured by Small Shark at Mornington Island Jetty
Wellesley Islands, Queensland·Australia
A 13-year-old girl sustained severe injuries to her lower leg and foot when encountered by a small shark near a community jetty in Queensland's Gulf of Carpentaria. She was airlifted to mainland Australia for surgical treatment and recovery.
Please take a moment to consider the human impact of this event on the victim and their loved ones. The data presented here documents real events that affected real people and families.
Incident Profile
Circumstances
Environmental
Individual
Location
Description
On the evening of April 26, 2007, a 13-year-old female swimmer was injured during a recreational activity at Mornington Island, one of the Wellesley Islands in Queensland's Gulf of Carpentaria. The incident occurred at approximately 6 p.m. local time near the community jetty, a popular recreational spot where local children regularly jumped into the water. The girl was swimming with a group of children when she encountered a small shark, though the exact species was not identified. Eyewitness accounts were limited, with only one child reporting having seen the shark. The animal inflicted severe injuries to the victim's lower leg and foot. Following the incident, the girl was transported to the nearby island hospital for initial treatment. Due to the severity of her injuries, she was subsequently airlifted by the Royal Flying Doctor Service, based in Mount Isa, to Townsville Hospital on mainland Australia. She underwent surgical treatment on Friday, April 27, 2007, and continued her recovery in hospital care. The incident occurred during favorable weather conditions, with an air temperature of 29°C, moderate humidity at 42%, and light winds from the west-southwest at 5.6 km/h. The moon was in its first quarter phase. Mornington Island, an Aboriginal community requiring prior permission for visitation, is accessible only by sea or air from the mainland.