Sydney’s community is grappling with tragedy following the death of twelve-year-old Nico Antic, who passed away in hospital days after sustaining critical injuries in a shark attack. The incident occurred on January 18th when the Argentine-born boy was jumping from rock ledges with friends in Sydney Harbour.
Authorities suspect a bull shark was responsible for the attack that left Nico with severe leg injuries. Despite immediate rescue efforts by his courageous friends and emergency medical response, the young victim could not be saved. Nico underwent emergency surgery at Sydney Children’s Hospital and was placed in an induced coma before his condition deteriorated.
In an emotional statement, grieving parents Lorena and Juan Antic remembered their son as “a happy, friendly, and sporty young boy with the most kind and generous spirit.” They added: “He was always full of life and that’s how we’ll remember him.”
The tragedy forms part of a concerning pattern along Australia’s east coast, with four separate shark incidents reported within a 48-hour period. On Monday, a surfer on Sydney’s northern beaches narrowly escaped injury from a lurking shark, while hours later a 27-year-old man suffered life-changing injuries in another attack. The following day, a 39-year-old man sustained chest wounds from a shark bite on the Mid North Coast.
Marine experts attribute the spike in shark activity to recent heavy rainfall, which created ideal conditions for bull sharks that prefer murky waters. The precipitation flushed nutrients into coastal areas, drawing sharks closer to shore in search of food.
As a precautionary measure, beaches across Sydney were temporarily closed, though many have since reopened for the Australia Day long weekend. The community has responded with an outpouring of support, with an online fundraiser for Nico’s family generating approximately $240,000 in donations.