This Sunday at 4:10 p.m., a 59-year-old Australian tourist died in Nouméa after a shark attack on the beach of Château Royal near the pontoon. Rescuers could not revive him.
Noémie Dutertre, Charlotte Mannevy, Stéphanie Chenais, Karine Arroyo, Valentin Delforterie • Published February 19, 2023 at 5:03 p.m., updated February 19, 2023 at 8:01 p.m.
The alarm was sounded shortly after 4 p.m. and the beach was evacuated. The victim is a 59-year-old Australian tourist who swam around the raft behind the pontoon on the beach at Château Royal in Noumea. At around 4:10 p.m. he was attacked and seriously injured his legs.
The swimmer was brought back by two rescuers aboard a jet ski. He was given a cardiac massage on the beach, to no avail. The man did not survive his injuries.
Sonia Lagarde, the mayor of Nouméa, was there quickly. She joined the emergency services. All beaches in Nouméa, including Magenta, are closed again, according to Nouméa City Hall. A new felling campaign has already started.
On-site reporting by Stéphanie Chenais, Karine Arroyo and Cédric Michaud
The beach was crowded at that time. The rescuers on site tried to revive the man, Géraldine Bourguoin explains how they dealt with the attack:
The cull campaign was reactivated minutes after the attack. Three drones were mobilized before nightfall.
This video was taken during the shark attack. She films this part of the beach live 24 hours a day.