![\"Signs](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/8e4aac79c41d389c431ce0f8797471c0.jpeg\")
<\/p>\nNico Antic, the 12-year-old boy who suffered serious leg injuries after being bitten by a shark in Sydney’s east, has died in hospital.<\/p>\n
In a statement issued on Saturday, almost a week since the tragedy, his parents Lorena and Juan said they were “heartbroken” to share the news of their son’s passing.<\/p>\n
“Nico was a happy, friendly, and sporty young boy with the most kind and generous spirit. He was always full of life and that’s how we’ll remember him,” it said.<\/p>\n
“We would like to sincerely thank the first responders and the teams at Sydney Children’s Hospital, Randwick for everything they did to care for Nico.\u00a0<\/p>\n
“We would also like to thank everyone in the community for their support and kind messages. We ask you please respect our privacy during this exceptionally difficult time.”<\/p>\n
The family said they would not be providing further comment.<\/p>\n
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Signs at an entrance to a foreshore walk, which accesses the rock where Nico was jumping into the harbour on Sunday. (ABC News: Isobel Roe)<\/p>\n
The 12-year-old was attacked by what authorities believe was a bull shark while jumping off a rock ledge along Hermitage Foreshore Walk near Shark Beach at Vaucluse about 4:20pm on Sunday.<\/p>\n
The boy, a North Bondi surf lifesaving nipper, was taken to the Children’s Hospital at Randwick in a critical condition.<\/p>\n
Friends were praised by police and Premier Chris Minns for their bravery in removing him from the water and caring for him before emergency services were able to apply a tourniquet and rush him to hospital.<\/p>\n
There were three other shark attacks reported along the NSW coast in the 48 hours<\/a> after the boy was bitten, including one at North Steyne Beach in the northern beaches that left Andre de Ruyter with severe leg injuries<\/a>.<\/p>\n The 27-year-old was taken to Royal North Shore Hospital in a critical condition.<\/p>\n The rocks where Nico Antic was jumping from when he was bitten in the water by a shark. (ABC News: Isobel Roe)<\/p>\n Northern Beaches were closed after the spate of attacks, which were described as “unprecedented” by Surf Life Saving NSW, but have since reopened.<\/p>\n Shark surveillance along the NSW coast has been ramped up, which has included deploying extra drones and more warnings to the community.<\/p>\n Shark sightings close beaches<\/p>\n Earlier on Saturday, a shark sighting at Manly Beach prompted its brief closure from 8:29am to 10:24am.<\/p>\n Further south, Garie Beach at the Royal National Park was evacuated and closed after three sharks were spotted.<\/p>\n Stephen Pearce from Surf Life Saving NSW said the sharks were near swimmers but people were safely evacuated.<\/p>\n Manly Beach closed briefly on Saturday morning after a shark sighting. (ABC News: Jack Ailwood)<\/p>\n Mr Pearce said all crews and resources were out and patrolling beaches this long weekend.<\/p>\n “They’re supported by our entire fleet of jetskis out in the water,” he said.\u00a0<\/p>\n “We have two Westpac Lifesaver Rescue Helicopters also in the air sweeping the beaches this weekend and every drone is up that we have as well.”<\/p>\n The attacks came after Sydney experienced its wettest day in almost 40 years last weekend.<\/p>\n Authorities have said the weather event likely contributed to the spate of attacks by causing lots of run-off and outflow of creeks into the ocean and river mouths that attracted animals for the sharks to feed off.<\/p>\n![\"A](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/1769230690_706_f2469eb6fa8d3157160d20c5bcacb8d5.jpeg\")
<\/p>\n![\"Surf](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/08401e310ea6e08b7d46d693eeec182b.jpeg\")
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