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Second Spearfishing Fatality This Week Sparks Safety Calls

5/24/2026

27 2 Full Breakdown

Summary

Story summary

A 39-year-old man died spearfishing near Kennedy Shoal, off Queensland, on 24 May 2026.
Police Inspector Elaine Burns said the victim suffered a head injury, was retrieved by a companion, and was declared dead.
It is the second spearfishing death this week, after a 38-year-old man died near Perth on 16 May 2026.
Shark experts say spearfishing carries a risk profile different from other water activities, prompting calls for tailored safety measures.

History

Historical Context

Rodney Fox survived a great-white bite during the 1963 South Australia spearfishing championship, requiring 462 stitches and later pioneering shark-observation cages that shaped national safety awareness. Decades of measures—including spotter planes and shark-cage diving—followed a record of 82 attacks (20 fatal) by 2014. In May 2026, Queensland Police Inspector Elaine Burns investigated two spearfishing deaths, echoing Fox’s legacy.

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Story summary

A 39-year-old man died spearfishing near Kennedy Shoal, off Queensland, on 24 May 2026.
Police Inspector Elaine Burns said the victim suffered a head injury, was retrieved by a companion, and was declared dead.
It is the second spearfishing death this week, after a 38-year-old man died near Perth on 16 May 2026.
Shark experts say spearfishing carries a risk profile different from other water activities, prompting calls for tailored safety measures.

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