Tag Archives: oceania

'Shark rider' recovering after attack off WA island

A man who previously called himself a "shark rider" is recovering in hospital after he was seriously injured in an attack on Western Australia's Pilbara coast.

Aaron Moir, 32, arrived at Royal Perth Hospital late last night after being flown in from Exmouth in a serious but stable condition.

He was on a fishing charter trip near Varanus Island, about 120km west of Karratha, when the attack happened just after 8am.

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'Shark rider' recovering after attack off WA island

It then took a 15-hour boat ride to get the injured Mr Moir back to shore, with others in his fishing group giving him first aid along the way.

Mr Moir is in a stable condition in Royal Perth Hospital with three bite marks, understood to be on his back, leg and stomach.

Mr Moir's mother said her son was in good spirits.

'Shark rider' recovering after attack off WA island

The Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development believes it was a lemon shark that attacked Mr Moir, unusual for a species that is not typically aggressive.

Mr Moir has previously called himself "the shark rider".

In 2014, he was filmed jumping on a hammerhead shark, an action that experts and his employer condemned.

Lemon Shark

At the time, Mr Moir admitted his actions were stupid, but said he'd do it again.

"I don't have much experience with great whites at all, so I'd love to jump in with one of them, but I'll wait till I know a bit more about them," he said in 2014.

The latest incident, which has been reported to Worksafe, has prompted a warning from conservationists to treat all sharks with care.

Officers are conducting enquiries before launching their own investigation.

NSW Police requests ADF support for Sydney COVID-19 compliance

The NSW Police Force has requested the Australian Defence Force's help in enforcing COVID-19 compliance during the Greater Sydney lockdown.

The state's COVID-19 cases have continued to rise in recent days despite harsh lockdown measures, with today marking a new high of 239 local cases.

NSW Police Commissioner Mick Fuller said authorities had been flooded by thousands of community complaints against those disobeying public health orders.

READ MORE: Sydney man fined for leaving COVID-19 hotspot to 'watch the sunrise'

He confirmed this afternoon that he's formally asked Prime Minister Scott Morrison for 300 ADF personnel to assist police on the ground, particularly in western and south-western Sydney.

"The assistance of the ADF has been essential over the past 18 months – particularly during last year's border operation, the ongoing hotel quarantine operation and the assistance provided with logistics support in the Police Operations Centre," Commissioner Fuller said. 

"With an increase in enforcement activity over the coming week, I have now made a formal request to the Prime Minister for ADF personnel to assist with that operation." 

READ MORE: 'Things are likely to get worse' as NSW clocks 239 cases

READ MORE: Tougher mask rules, 5km travel limit for high-risk LGAs in Sydney

Police patrols Cabramatta

Commissioner Fuller told this morning's COVID-19 press conference that "thousands" of additional police officers would also be out on the streets in the coming week.

"We all want to come out of lockdown," he said.

"These new powers, the additional police into these areas, it's about getting us out of lockdown sooner.

READ MORE: Police seeking Sydney protesters after pot plants thrown at officers

"So you can expect to see more police on the ground; you can expect to see more enforcement."

In addition, the NSW government has also handed the police force additional powers to close businesses and shut down illegal construction work.

Fines for failing to abide by the government's mask mandate have also been increased from $200 to $500.