Incident Report
Grey Reef Shark Incident During Snorkelling at Whitsunday Islands
whitsunday islands, block reef, Queensland·Australia
A 25-year-old male sustained major lacerations to the thigh and pelvic region while snorkelling at Block Reef in Queensland's Whitsunday Islands in March 2019. The incident involved a grey reef shark.
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Incident Profile
Individual
Location
Description
In March 2019, a snorkelling incident occurred at Block Reef in the Whitsunday Islands, Queensland, Australia. A 25-year-old male snorkeller sustained major lacerations to the thigh and pelvic region during an encounter with a grey reef shark (Carcharhinus amblyrhynchos). The snorkeller survived the incident. Block Reef is located in open ocean waters surrounding the island system, an area where grey reef sharks are naturally present. Grey reef sharks are medium-sized sharks typically found in tropical and subtropical coral reef environments throughout the Indo-Pacific region. This species can be defensive in certain circumstances, particularly when feeling threatened or cornered. The incident resulted in non-fatal injuries requiring medical attention.