A shark attack at a remote beach in New South Wales claimed the life of a woman and left a man seriously injured, marking one of the rare instances where a single shark has attacked multiple people.
Emergency services responded to reports of the attack at Kylies Beach in Crowdy Bay National Park around 6:30 a.m. local time on Thursday, Nov. 27, 2025. The beach is located in a national park known for camping, fishing and hiking.
The two victims, both in their mid-20s and identified as Swiss nationals, were known to each other. The woman died at the scene despite efforts by bystanders and emergency responders. The man sustained serious injuries and was airlifted by helicopter to John Hunter Hospital in Newcastle, where his condition improved from critical to stable.
New South Wales Police Inspector Timothy Bayly told reporters that authorities were still investigating the circumstances. “At this stage, all I’m prepared to say is they were known to each other and they were going for a swim and the shark attacked,” he said.
A bystander’s quick thinking may have prevented a second fatality by applying a tourniquet to the victim’s leg and thus stemming blood loss from his injuries.
NSW Ambulance Paramedic Joshua Smyth praised the bystander’s efforts. “I just really need to have a shoutout to the bystander on the beach who put a makeshift tourniquet on the male’s leg which obviously potentially saved his life and allowed New South Wales Ambulance paramedics to get to him and render first aid,” he said.
Police worked with experts to determine the shark species involved in the attack, with authorities identifying the suspected culprit as a bull shark, estimated to be approximately three meters in length. Bull sharks are among the most dangerous shark species and are commonly linked to attacks in Australian waters, along with great white sharks and tiger sharks.
The victims were later identified as Livia Muhlheim, 25, and Lukas Schindler, 26, an exchange student who had recently become a scuba instructor. The couple may have been filming dolphins when the attack occurred, and police reviewed GoPro footage to help understand the sequence of events. Schindler reportedly towed Muhlheim approximately 50 meters back to the beach despite his severe leg injuries.
The Swiss Consulate contacted local authorities and offered support to the families within the framework of consular protection. Police did not release the victims’ identities until their families overseas had been notified.
Authorities closed Kylies Beach and the surrounding areas following the incident. In response, officials deployed five drumlines—baited hooks suspended from floats—off the beach in an attempt to catch the shark. SMART drumlines and drones were also deployed to monitor shark activity in the area. Drumlines were already in place to the north at Port Macquarie and to the south at Forster as part of ongoing shark management efforts.
Gavin Naylor, director of the University of Florida’s shark research program and manager of the International Shark Attack File database, noted the exceptional nature of the incident. He explained that individual shark attacks are already rare events, and a single shark attacking two people is extremely uncommon.
The Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development announced that mental health support would be offered to people affected by the attack through its Rural Adversity Mental Health Program, the Bite Club, Surfing NSW and Surf Life Saving NSW.
Dave Pearson, founder of the Bite Club—a peer support group for shark attack survivors—noted the impact on the local community. Pearson himself survived a bull shark attack in 2011 at Crowdy Head, just 14 kilometers from Thursday’s incident. The Bite Club, which now has 600 members worldwide, provides support for people affected by shark attacks. Pearson serves on the Shark Incident Response Team in New South Wales, which deploys to communities after fatal or serious shark attacks.
In September 2025, a shark fatally mauled a surfer off a Sydney beach, with two sections of the surfboard recovered from the scene. Australia’s extensive coastline and popular beach culture mean that encounters between humans and sharks, while statistically rare, continue to occur despite ongoing safety measures and monitoring programs.
Beaches in the vicinity have since reopened following the initial closure, though authorities continue to monitor the area for shark activity. The incident remains under investigation, with a formal report to be prepared for the coroner.