Shark attacks Sydney youth

SYDNEY // A shark badly injured a teenage boy while he was surfing with his father at a popular Sydney beach today, police said, the third shark attack in Australia's largest city in a month. The 15-year-old boy and his father were in the water off Avalon on Sydney's popular northern beaches around dawn when he was attacked. "Half an hour later the father heard a scream and turned to see his son thrashing about in the water. Fortunately the shark swam away and the boy was helped to shore by his father," police said in a statement.

The teenager was airlifted to hospital for treatment for leg injuries. Police said the bites "cut through to the bone" but the boy did not appear to have sustained any fractures. Several beaches were closed after the attack. Water police and lifeguards were searching for the shark, while police hoped to identify its species by the shape of the bite marks. Many shark species live in the waters off Sydney's popular beaches, but attacks on humans are still relatively rare. *Reuters