SHARK ATTACK AT NORTH STEYNE – SURFER REVIVED AFTER CARDIAC ARREST IN THIRD SYDNEY ATTACK
News report /Monday 19 January,202
MANLY, SYDNEY – The Northern Beaches have been plunged into a state of emergency following a horrifying shark attack at North Steyne on Monday evening. This latest strike marks the third shark incident in Sydney within a terrifying 24-hour window, leaving a young surfer fighting for his life.
The victim, a man in his 20s, was surfing just after 6:00 PM when a predator—described by witnesses as a “monster”—clamped down on his leg, causing catastrophic blood loss and sending the young man into cardiac arrest on the sand.
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NSW Police Report /Media advisory
Surfer injured by shark bite – Manly
Monday, 19 January 2026 07:37:54 PM
A man is in a critical condition after being bitten by a shark at Sydney’s Northern Beaches today.
About 6.20pm, Monday 19 January 2026, emergency services were called to North Steyne Beach, Manly, following reports a surfer had been bitten by a shark.
The man was pulled from the water by members of the public who commenced first aid before the arrival of emergency services.
The man, believed to be aged in his 20’s, was treated for serious leg injuries by NSW Ambulance paramedics and taken to Royal North Shore Hospital in a critical condition.
All beaches on the Northern Beaches are closed until further notice, and this will be reviewed on an ongoing basis.
There is no further information available at this time
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Beach closed signs at Dea Why in 2025 As a police boat searches at the scene of a fatal shark attack at Long Reef Beach, Dee Why, Sydney, Saturday, September 6, 2025. A man is dead after being attacked by a large shark on Sydney’s northern beaches. (AAP Image/Dean Lewins)
‘Don’t Look at Your Leg’: The Heroic Rescue
In a scene of unimaginable bravery, two fellow surfers witnessed the strike from just meters away. One of the rescuers, a surfer named Ash, described the moment the predator hit.”He was right next to us, 10 meters away, and he just got done,” Ash told the Manly Observer. “My mate put him on his board… there was blood everywhere. The guy was silenced from the pain, but still conscious. I kept telling him, ‘Don’t look at your leg,’ and we just kept paddling.”
Once the group reached the shore, the situation turned dire. The victim’s heart stopped due to the massive trauma to his right calf. Off-duty lifesavers and bystanders performed frantic CPR and used a defibrillator for an extended period until a specialist medical team arrived.
Image depicting Bull Shark which species are notorious for inhabiting and swimming close to shore in murky brackish water
Emergency ‘Green-Light’ Corridor
The response was massive:
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The Toll Rescue Helicopter landed directly on the sand at Manly Beach at 6:45 PM, delivering a specialist trauma doctor and emergency blood supplies.
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On-Site Blood Transfusion: Paramedics performed a rare emergency blood transfusion on the beach to stabilize the man before his heart was successfully restarted.
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Police Escort: A “green-light corridor” was established by NSW Police, allowing the ambulance to scream through Sydney traffic to Royal North Shore Hospital, where a surgical team was waiting on high alert.
A City Under Siege
The North Steyne mauling is the violent climax of a “Perfect Storm” of shark activity across Sydney:
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Sunday (Vaucluse): A 12-year-old boy critically injured at Shark Beach.
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Monday Morning (Dee Why): An 11-year-old boy’s surfboard bitten through by a shark.
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Monday Evening (North Steyne): The critical mauling of the surfer in his 20s.
Experts point to the recent torrential rains as a major factor. The “brackish” (mixed fresh and salt) water from the runoff creates a prime hunting ground for Bull Sharks, who use the murky visibility to ambush prey.
