Incident Report
Young Swimmer Bitten at Carnarvon Bay, Western Australia
Carnarvon, Western Australia·Australia
A 10-year-old boy suffered deep lacerations to his ankle after being bitten by a shark while swimming at The Fascine in Carnarvon, Western Australia on December 3, 1941. He was treated at Carnarvon Hospital.
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
Environmental
Individual
Location
Description
On the night of December 3, 1941, a 10-year-old boy named Ron Graham was swimming in The Fascine, a sheltered bay near Carnarvon in Western Australia favored by locals and visitors, when he was bitten by a shark. The incident occurred approximately 900 kilometers north of Perth. The shark inflicted deep lacerations around the victim's right ankle and foot. Following the attack, the injured boy was transported to Carnarvon Hospital for treatment of his severe wounds. The attack took place during night swimming, with a full moon occurring on December 4, 1941. The species of shark responsible for the incident was not identified in available reports. This unprovoked attack in a popular recreational swimming area highlighted the potential risks of night bathing in Australian waters, particularly in northern regions where shark activity was known to occur. The incident was reported in The West Australian newspaper on December 11, 1941, documenting this significant maritime accident from the wartime period in Western Australia.