Boy, 15, Loses Leg In Shark Attack

The Sunday Age

Sunday December 3, 2006

JULIE TULLBERG, PERTH

PROMPT action by his brother and bystanders saved a teenage boy's life after a shark bit off his right leg at a Western Australian beach yesterday.

Zak Golebiowski, 15, of Mount Gambier, was surfing with his 18-year-old brother 40 metres off Wharton Beach, 70 kilometres east of Esperance, early in the morning when a five-metre white pointer attacked him.

His right leg was bitten off. The shark also mauled and punctured his other leg.

But the quick-thinking of his brother, a New Zealand couple and a surfing mate saved his life, Constable Katrina Luke, of Esperance, said. Were it not for that, she said, he would not be alive. He is now in a serious but stable condition in hospital.

Constable Luke said the helpers gave Zak first aid and stopped the blood loss with a tourniquet before he was taken to Esperance Hospital. When Zak was stabilised, he was flown to Royal Perth Hospital for further treatment. Constable Luke said the shark was still in the area, and the beach, a popular swimming spot, was closed to the public.

A police helicopter was sent in to locate the white pointer.

Zak's relative from Mount Gambier was too distressed to talk about the incident last night.

But he said his mother had flown to Perth to be with Zak.

An Esperance diving and fishing operator, Peter Hudson, said he had worked for 23 years off the coast, near Wharton Beach, and there had never been a shark attack in that time.

"From the town's perspective, they would have been shocked to learn of this shark attack," Mr Hudson said.

"It's a dreadful, dreadful, unfortunate incident.

"We've never had anything like this."

Mr Hudson said white pointers were known to swim off the coast from South Australia to Western Australia, and across to South Africa and back.

"Wharton Beach is very popular for swimming and surfing," Mr Hudson said. "There are lots of families and children who swim there." -- AAP