Incident Report
Spearfisher Injured by Whaler Shark in Torres Strait
torres strait, badu island, Queensland·Australia
A 32-year-old male spearfisher sustained minor lacerations to the thigh after an encounter with a 2-meter whaler shark near Badu Island in March 1989.
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Incident Profile
Individual
Location
Description
In March 1989, a spearfishing incident occurred in the Torres Strait near Badu Island, Queensland, Australia. A 32-year-old male spearfisher was injured when a whaler shark, approximately 2 meters in length, inflicted minor lacerations to his thigh. The incident took place in open ocean waters adjacent to the island. The victim sustained non-fatal injuries and survived the encounter. Whaler sharks are known to inhabit tropical and subtropical waters of the Indo-Pacific region, including the Torres Strait, and are typically responsible for a small proportion of shark incidents in Australian waters. This case represents a minor injury outcome in the broader context of human-shark interactions in this region.