Sydney shark attack survivor recalls punching animal in the face

Leah Stewart, a 34-year-old mother, was attacked by a four-meter great white shark while swimming at Coogee Beach in Sydney on June 13. The shark bit her arms and thigh, leading to severe blood loss and the amputation of her left arm. In an interview with 60 Minutes Australia, Stewart recounted how she initially shouted to alert others about the shark's presence but was unable to be rescued in time.

She described the shark's face as massive and its teeth as terrifying, recounting how she had to punch it in the face to defend herself. Stewart's injuries were so severe that she was categorized as "not compatible with life" upon arrival at the hospital. She was rescued by a paddleboarder and another bystander, and later received life-saving care from Dr. Ian Ferguson, who applied tourniquets and drilled into her bone marrow to maintain blood flow.

The attack occurred during a period when beaches in Sydney and the east coast of Australia were closed due to four shark attacks in two days. Over the past decade, Australia has seen an average of 27 shark incidents annually, with fewer than three resulting in fatalities.