A 31-year-old diver has been flown to hospital after being bitten on the forearm by a suspected two-metre broadnose sevengill shark near Coal Point at Adventure Bay on Tasmania’s Bruny Island.
The man was diving with two other people approximately 50 metres offshore on Saturday morning, July 18, 2026. He suffered non-life-threatening injuries and reached the shore before being airlifted to Royal Hobart Hospital in a stable condition.
What happened at Coal Point?
Tasmania Police received a report of the incident at about 9:10am. Inspector Darren Latham said the group was diving at a depth of approximately eight metres when the shark bit the man on his lower forearm.
The diver returned to shore, where his companions helped him and contacted emergency services. The Westpac Rescue Helicopter transported him to hospital. Police have not released his name or provided a further update on his treatment.
The official Tasmania Police alert for Coal Point confirmed that the injuries were not life-threatening and said the animal was not believed to have been a white shark.
Was the diver retrieving a speared fish?
A witness at the scene told ABC News that the group had been spearfishing using scuba equipment. According to the witness, the man had speared a fish and was retrieving it when the shark bit him.
The witness described it as a substantial but not life-threatening bite affecting part of the man’s arm. This sequence was not included in the initial police account and remains a witness report rather than a confirmed investigative finding.
A speared fish can create movement, scent and blood that attracts marine predators. If the account is accurate, the catch may explain why the shark approached, but it does not establish that the animal was targeting the diver as prey.
What type of shark was involved?
Police believe the animal was a broadnose sevengill shark measuring approximately two metres. The identification is preliminary because the shark has not been captured or scientifically examined.
Broadnose sevengills have seven gill slits, compared with the five found on most shark species. They were formerly called mud sharks or cow sharks in some areas.
The species generally moves close to the seabed and feeds on fish and other marine animals. It is regularly encountered in Tasmania’s inshore waters, including the D’Entrecasteaux Channel and Derwent Estuary.
Has the shark been found?
Police vessel Dauntless patrolled the waters around Coal Point after the incident. No further sightings had been reported when police issued their update.
Authorities described the bite as an apparently isolated event. Police did not announce a formal closure of Coal Point or Adventure Bay, although visitors should check current alerts before entering the water.
A separate three-metre shark was reportedly seen near the Bruny Island Cruises boat ramp in Adventure Bay in March. There is no evidence connecting that sighting with Saturday’s incident.
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Are shark bites common in Tasmania?
Adventure Bay is on the eastern side of Bruny Island, approximately 75 kilometres south of Hobart. Coal Point has a rocky seabed, kelp and cray-weed and is used for shore diving and fishing.
Shark researcher Chris Black said sevengills are commonly encountered by Tasmanian divers, usually without incident. They can be curious and may circle divers, but fish blood or feeding activity can change their behaviour.
Black said Tasmania had recorded 15 historically verifiable shark incidents since European settlement, six of which were fatal. The non-fatal Bruny Island bite differs significantly from the fatal Rottnest Island diver attack reported in Western Australia in May.
Is Adventure Bay safe for swimming and diving?
Police have not declared Adventure Bay generally unsafe. They have advised swimmers and divers to remain vigilant, follow local safety directions and stay aware of their surroundings.
People should avoid entering the water near active fishing, bleeding catches, baitfish or a recent shark sighting. Spearfishers should recognise that a caught fish may attract marine predators even when no shark was visible earlier.
The incident should not be treated as proof that attacks are becoming more common. Research into changing shark sightings in Australian waters shows that shifts in where sharks are observed do not automatically mean more attacks on people.
How to report a shark sighting
Anyone who sees a shark in Tasmania can contact police on 131 444. Call Triple Zero (000) when a sighting presents an immediate threat.
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