Fatal Bull Shark Attack on 12-Year-Old at Nielsen Park, Sydney Harbour (January 2026)

On 18 January 2026, a 12-year-old male, Nico Antic, was attacked by a bull shark (Carcharhinus leucas) while jumping from rocks into the water at Nielsen Park, Vaucluse, in Sydney Harbour, Australia. The attack occurred near Shark Beach within the park. The victim sustained severe injuries to both legs and was transported to hospital in a critical condition.

Antic died in hospital approximately one week after the attack, on or around 24 January 2026, from the injuries sustained in the incident. Both sources identifying the species were consistent in attributing the attack to a bull shark.

Nielsen Park is a publicly accessible foreshore reserve located within Sydney Harbour National Park in the Vaucluse area of Sydney's eastern suburbs. Bull sharks (Carcharhinus leucas) are a euryhaline species known to inhabit estuarine and harbour environments, including Sydney Harbour, and are considered among the species most commonly implicated in attacks on humans in Australian waters.