A 12-year-old boy faced a terrifying shark attack while swimming near Nielsen Park in Sydney Harbour on Sunday around 4:20 pm. Police believe a large bull shark caused the injury as the boy jumped off a popular rock ledge with friends. His mates acted bravely, with at least one jumping into the water to pull him to safety. NSW Police’s marine area commander, Supt Joe McNulty, praised their courage. "The actions of his mates who’ve gone into the water and pulled him out have been nothing but brave," McNulty said. Emergency teams rapidly responded. A nearby police speedboat arrived quickly and an officer applied double tourniquets to the boy’s legs to stop bleeding. Officers performed CPR on the way to Rose Bay, where ambulance staff rushed him to hospital. He remains in critical condition, suffering injuries to both legs. While the Department of Primary Industries has not confirmed the shark species, police suspect a large animal, possibly a bull shark. McNulty warned that Sydney Harbour’s brackish water and recent heavy rain reduced visibility, creating a "perfect storm environment for the shark attack." He advised people not to swim in the area right now. Nearby beaches, including Shark Bay beach, are closed following the attack. NSW Ambulance Insp Giles Buchanan called the immediate tourniquet application "definitely a life-saving intervention." He described the situation as "touch-and-go" with the boy unconscious and needing intubation to breathe. Shark attacks in Sydney Harbour are rare but not unheard of. Earlier in 2024, a woman was seriously injured by a bull shark bite in Elizabeth Bay during a short swim off a pier.