Incident Report
Hammerhead Shark Encounter During Snorkelling at Opal Reef, Port Douglas
port douglas, opal reef, Queensland·Australia
A 33-year-old female snorkeller sustained an abrasion to her calf during an encounter with a 3-metre hammerhead shark at Opal Reef in May 1990. The incident resulted in non-fatal injury.
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Incident Profile
Individual
Location
Description
In May 1990, a snorkelling incident occurred at Opal Reef near Port Douglas, Queensland, Australia. A 33-year-old female snorkeller was injured when she encountered a hammerhead shark measuring approximately 3 metres in length. The shark contact resulted in an abrasion to the victim's calf. The incident took place in open ocean waters at a pelagic site. The victim survived the encounter with non-fatal injury. Hammerhead sharks, identifiable by their distinctive flattened, laterally extended head structure, inhabit tropical and warm temperate waters and typically avoid human contact, making unprovoked incidents comparatively rare.