Shark attack off Hinchinbrook Island leaves man with critical injuries
Updated
The friends of a man who was bitten multiple times on the leg by a shark in waters off far north Queensland saved his life with their rapid first aid response, paramedics say.
Key points:
- Glenn Dickson was bitten by a shark after jumping into waters off Hinchinbrook Island
- Friends immediately pulled him from the water and applied first aid
- The 25-year-old Cairns man is in a critical but stable condition in hospital
Cairns resident Glenn Dickson was spearfishing with three friends off Hinchinbrook Island, which lies east of Cardwell, when he was attacked about 10:30am.
Queensland Ambulance Service (QAS) spokesman Martin Taylor said the 25-year-old suffered severe blood loss with multiple bites to his left femur and calf and lost consciousness.
"The friends have immediately pulled him out of the water and applied emergency first aid," Mr Taylor said.
"They put a tourniquet up high and tight on his femur and stopped the subsequent bleeding which was quite significant.
"The initial actions by the three friends have definitely saved this gentleman's life."
QAS senior operations supervisor Neil Noble said one of the friends was an ex-naval officer with medical training.
"This is a really good case where simple first aid can absolutely save a life and that's what happened," he said.
"This is really a remarkable story and it's quite rare and we're really pleased that this gentleman will very likely have a positive outcome."
Mr Dickson was brought to shore by a boat and treated by paramedics on a jetty before a rescue helicopter arrived to fly him to Cairns Hospital.
He was met by family on the helipad before going into surgery.
"They're pleased, they realised how close to the wire this came," Mr Noble said.
Mr Dickon went into surgery in a critical but stable condition.
It was believed he was bitten by either a bull shark or a tiger shark.
Topics: shark, animal-attacks, human-interest, cardwell-4849
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