Fatal Shark Attack on Diver off Lizard Island, Queensland

A 17-year-old Aboriginal diver working the beche-de-mer fishery fought back against the shark by striking it, had his right hand severed in response, and survived long enough for a surgical amputation before succumbing — a documented case of defensive resistance with a detailed, well-sourced contemporary account from 1906.

On Saturday, April 14, 1906, a tragic shark attack occurred in the waters off Lizard Island, Queensland, Australia. A 17-year-old diver from Seven Rivers was working as part of a diving crew aboard the beche-de-mer boat Myro, owned by Morey and Co. of Thursday Island. The young man was diving in deep ocean water when he was attacked by a shark of unidentified species. The shark seized the victim's left arm, tearing the flesh severely. In his attempt to defend himself, the diver struck at the shark with his right hand, which the animal then bit off. His mates quickly rescued him from the water and rushed him toward medical care. Rather than waiting for ambulance service, they conveyed him on foot first to Dr. Kortum's residence and then to the hospital in Cooktown. Despite emergency medical intervention, including surgical amputation of his left arm at the shoulder, the young diver's injuries proved too severe. He died on Tuesday, April 17, 1906, just three days after the attack. The incident remains a stark reminder of the dangers faced by pearl and beche-de-mer divers who worked in shark-inhabited waters off Australia's coast during this period.