A shark attack at a remote Australian beach on Thursday, Nov. 27, 2025, claimed the life of a woman and left a man critically injured after both swimmers were attacked in what authorities described as an exceptionally rare double incident.
Emergency services responded to Kylies Beach in Crowdy Bay National Park in New South Wales around 6:30 a.m. following reports that two people in their mid-20s had been bitten by a shark. The unpatrolled beach is located 224 miles north of Sydney in an area known for beach camping, fishing spots, and hiking tracks.
Both victims, identified as Swiss nationals, Livia Muhlheim, 25, and Lukas Schindler, 26, were known to each other and had arrived at the campground late Wednesday night before venturing out for an early morning swim at first light. Police Chief Inspector Timothy Bayly confirmed the circumstances surrounding the attack but declined to provide extensive details about the injuries sustained.
“At this stage, all I’m prepared to say is they were known to each other and they were going for a swim and the shark attacked,” Bayly told reporters.
Despite efforts by bystanders who rushed to help the pair, Muhlheim died at the scene. Schindler sustained serious injuries and received crucial first aid from a witness who applied a makeshift tourniquet to his leg before paramedics arrived. NSW Ambulance Superintendent Joshua Smyth credited this quick-thinking action with potentially saving Schindler’s life.
Schindler was airlifted to John Hunter Hospital in Newcastle in critical condition. Hospital officials later confirmed his condition had improved to stable.
Police are reviewing GoPro footage from the couple, who had been filming dolphins in the water shortly before the attack occurred. The footage may provide crucial evidence for investigators working to piece together the sequence of events that led to the fatal encounter.
The Department of Primary Industries conducted a forensic assessment and determined that a bull shark measuring over three meters long was likely responsible for the attack. Bull sharks are among the most dangerous shark species, capable of moving between fresh and saltwater environments. They are frequently linked to attacks in Australian waters, along with great white and tiger sharks.
Authorities immediately closed Kylies Beach and the surrounding swimming areas for at least 24 hours following the incident. Five drumlines—baited hooks suspended from floats—were deployed off the beach in an attempt to catch the shark. Additional drumlines were already in place to the north at Port Macquarie and to the south at Forster as part of ongoing shark management efforts. Drones were also dispatched to search for the shark from above.
Experts noted that a single shark attacking two people is exceptionally rare. Dave Pearson, founder of the Bite Club—a peer support group for shark attack survivors—explained that such incidents trigger difficult memories for those who have experienced similar trauma. Pearson himself survived a bull shark attack in 2011 at Crowdy Head, just 14 kilometers from Thursday’s incident site, when the animal tore his left forearm muscle and some wrist and thumb tendons from the bone.
The Consulate General of Switzerland in Sydney confirmed they were contacted by authorities and stated they were supporting the relatives within the framework of consular protection. A report is being prepared for the coroner to examine the circumstances of the attack.
Mental health support was offered to people affected by the incident through the Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development’s Rural Adversity Mental Health Program, the Bite Club, Surfing NSW, and Surf Life Saving NSW. The support services recognize the psychological impact such events can have on witnesses, first responders, and the broader community.
This attack marks the fifth fatal shark incident in Australia during 2025. In September, a surfer was fatally mauled off a Sydney beach at Dee Why, with two sections of his surfboard recovered from the scene. The Thursday morning attack has reignited discussions about beach safety measures and shark management strategies along the NSW coast.
The remote location of Kylies Beach, accessible only via rough gravel roads, presented challenges for emergency responders. Mid North Coast lifeguard coordinator James Turnham emphasized the inherent risks of swimming at non-controlled locations without lifeguard services, noting that while the secluded beach is a popular swimming spot, visitors must remain aware of potential dangers, including shark encounters.
Campers at the Crowdy Bay National Park campground described the morning’s events as shocking, with many initially believing emergency services had responded to a medical episode rather than a shark attack. By late Thursday afternoon, the peaceful atmosphere had returned to the campground, with police tape marking the entrance to Kylies Beach as the only visible reminder of the morning’s events.