Australian authorities are reviewing drone flight restrictions over Coogee Beach after a Sydney shark attack left a woman critically injured and renewed concerns about swimmer safety.
The 35-year-old woman was attacked by a large shark about 30 metres from shore at Coogee Beach in eastern Sydney on Saturday morning. Emergency responders rushed to the scene after reports of the attack, and the victim was later taken to hospital with serious injuries to her lower left leg and arms.
According to Reuters, the woman remained in a critical but stable condition at St Vincent’s Hospital on Sunday.
Following the incident, Coogee Beach and other beaches within the Randwick Council area were closed for 24 hours while authorities monitored the waters for further shark activity. Drones were deployed under emergency provisions to scan the area.
New South Wales Agriculture Minister Tara Moriarty said the state government was taking the recent rise in shark encounters seriously and would consider additional measures to improve beach safety.
Authorities are now examining whether drone technology can be used more effectively at Coogee Beach, where commercial drone operations have been restricted because the area lies beneath the flight path of Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport.
A spokesperson for Australia’s aviation regulator, the Civil Aviation Safety Authority, said the agency would review existing rules to determine whether changes could support shark surveillance efforts.
The dramatic rescue was carried out by paddleboard champion and off-duty lifeguard Charlie Verco, who spotted the shark, warned lifeguards and helped bring the injured swimmer back to shore.
Speaking to the Australian Broadcasting Corporation, Verco described seeing a three-to-four-metre shark near swimmers before the attack unfolded.
“She ended up getting taken underwater for a second,” he said. “Luckily, she popped up and the shark had let her go and I was able to get close enough to bring her into shore.”
The rescue effort involved lifeguards, police officers and medical personnel before the woman was transported to hospital by ambulance.
Australia has recorded several shark attacks in 2026, with most incidents occurring along the country’s eastern and south-eastern coastline. The Australian Institute of Health and Welfare estimates there are about 20 shark attacks annually across the nation.
