A 12-year-old boy who was attacked by a shark in Australia’s Sydney Harbour has died, his family confirmed on Saturday.
The victim, identified as Nico Antic, was injured last week while swimming with friends in the eastern Sydney suburb of Vaucluse.
His parents, Lorena and Juan Antic, said he succumbed to the injuries he sustained during the incident.
In a statement, the grieving parents described their son as a lively and kind-hearted child whose warmth and generosity left a lasting impression on those around him. They said the family was devastated by the loss.
The incident occurred as the children were jumping into the water from a rock about six metres high.
Police said heavy rainfall in the days before the attack had caused runoff to flow into the harbour, leaving the water murky.
Antic was rescued and taken to hospital in critical condition after emergency responders arrived at the scene.
Despite medical efforts, he later died from his injuries.
The incident was among four shark encounters recorded within two days in Sydney waters, prompting authorities to temporarily shut several beaches across the city.
It also marked the third shark-related death in the Sydney area in recent months. In September, a surfer was killed by a great white shark at a popular northern Sydney beach, while a woman was later fatally attacked by a bull shark at a remote beach north of the city.
Marine experts have linked the recent spate of attacks to changing ocean conditions, noting that warmer waters and increased human activity along the coast may be influencing sharks’ movement patterns.