A 59-year-old Australian Australian man was fishing on the Great Barrier Reef on Sunday when his condition worsened after being attacked by a shark, officials said.
Paramedics responded to the Britmart Reef near Lucinda, Queensland, around noon, Said the Queensland Ambulance Service.
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According to Australia 9 News, the man was throwing a spear with a friend when the shark bit his thigh. Authorities described the man’s injuries as “catastrophic.”
Paramedics transported the man to Townsville Hospital, where he underwent emergency surgery and was in critical condition, Dr David Humphrey, a doctor at Lifeflight Australia Australia, told Reuters.
“There is evidence of very significant shark bites in the patient’s upper thigh, pelvic region,” Humphries said.
Britmart Reef, part of the Great Barrier Reef in Australia, is a popular fishing spot.
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According to the Teronga Conservation Society Australia Australia, unplanned shark attacks in Australia have killed seven people this year, including two fatal attacks in Queensland.
