Where in Sydney Harbour did the recent shark attack take place? Witness recounts rescue as rare instance leaves woman seriously injured

A recent shark attack near the Sydney Opera House on Monday, January 29 left a woman severely injured. As per CNN, Lauren O'Neill's right leg was bitten by a shark when she went for a dip off a private wharf in the residential area of Elizabeth Bay. People reported that the woman was attacked by a bull shark at about 7:45 pm local time.

She called for help and locals in the area administered first aid before she was rushed to the hospital. While the situation is serious, she is in stable condition. This reportedly marks the first attack in Sydney Harbour in 15 years.

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"The whole thing was totally surreal": Witness sheds light on shark attack in Elizabeth Bay

According to Herald, the shark attack occurred approximately 20 meters from the jetty. This is less than 2 km from the Sydney Opera House and close to the Harbour Bridge.

The woman injured in the attack was identified as Lauren O'Neill, a 29-year-old kayaker. The Guardian reported that O'Neill was significantly wounded and struggled to stay conscious.

As per 9News, individuals around rushed to help her following the attack, and a local veterinarian, Fiona Crago, provided first aid. She placed a tourniquet on the 29-year-old's wound to stop the bleeding before paramedics arrived and transported her to St. Vincent's Hospital for surgery. Crago told 10 News First:

"She was severely mauled on her right leg, and she was losing a lot of blood."

As per The Guardian, a neighboring resident, Michael Porter, spoke to Nine’s Today about the incident and said:

“I got home from work and sat down on the couch. I heard a soft yell for help just outside the window."

He noticed the woman outside attempting to climb out of the harbor waters. Describing the situation, he continued:

“Her leg was sort of trailing behind her – behind her was all red blood. The whole thing was totally surreal and I still haven’t processed it all, to be honest.”

According to a hospital spokesperson, as of Tuesday morning, the woman is in stable condition in intensive care and is scheduled to undergo surgery, as per Business Standard.

According to The Guardian, praising the vet and the resident who helped O'Neill, Ryan Park, the health minister, said:

“I understand it was a vet who went and assisted that person, quite possibly saved their life.”

He added:

“I also want to thank the paramedics and emergency service personnel as well as the staff at St Vincent’s who have literally performed a miracle overnight and kept this person alive.”

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As per Business Standard, shark specialist Amy Smoothey said that photographs and an investigation of the shark bite provided by officials indicated that "a bull shark was likely responsible" for the attack.

The Deccan Herald reported that while shark sightings near Sydney's ocean-facing beaches are common, shark attacks in the city's famed harbor are rare.

This was reportedly the first shark attack in Sydney Harbour since February 2009. In 2009, an Australian naval diver fought off a bull shark that bit his leg and arm in Woolloomooloo Bay.