UK Edition
Woman survives rare great white shark attack in Sydney's Botany Bay
A woman is recovering in hospital after being attacked by a juvenile great white shark in Sydney's south-east.
The 55-year-old was swimming at Little Congwong Beach in Botany Bay when she was bitten by the shark at about 7pm on Friday.
The predator was believed to be between 2.7m and 3.2m long.
The woman, who was taken to St George Hospital with a bite wound to right lower leg, was in a stable condition on Saturday.
"It's a reasonably severe bite but fortunately she's stable and is undergoing surgery … I'd be surprised if she had any severe damage," Vic Peddemors, senior shark biologist at the New South Wales' Department of Primary Industries, told ABC News.
He said there had not been any shark attacks in the La Perouse area for "an extremely long period".
"This is an unusual event, shark bites as a whole are an unusual event," Mr Peddemors said.
Lindsay Shurey, the local mayor, said the community had been shocked by the incident.
"From all accounts the woman was very lucky and certainly the whole community's heartfelt thoughts are with her for a full recovery," Shurey said.
"I've lived in the area for 25 years and this is the first confirmed shark attack in Randwick City. We're all a little shocked and concerned."
Beaches in the area were closed and lifeguards were keeping watch at the usually unpatrolled beaches.