A Victorian doctor has died after he was attacked by a shark in Cid Harbour in the Whitsundays, Queensland, on Monday.
The 33-year-old, identified as Dr Daniel Christidis, went paddle boarding and swimming when he was bitten on his left thigh and wrist and right calf around 5:30pm, Queensland police said.
"He was compassionate with patients, going the extra mile to help them,” professor Helen O’Connell, director of surgery and head of urology at Western Health, where Christidis worked as a surgical registrar, told The Australian.
“The consummate professional, especially for someone so young, he was already encouraging younger doctors to aspire to a surgical career and participate in academic projects."
Police said in a statement on Tuesday morning that two people on a nearby boat rescued Christidis and took him to a nearby charter boat when he was attacked on Monday.
Male patient with injuries to left thigh, right calf and left wrist from a shark attack has now arrived at Mackay Base Hospital after being airlifted by #RACQ #CQRescue. Chopper landed on island and medical team transferred to a vessel by a tender to treat patient.
"The man was then relayed to the shore before being transported to Mackay Hospital where he later passed away," the statement read.
Three people have been attacked in the popular swimming spot in as many months.
In September a woman and a young girl were bitten at Cid Harbour within 24 hours of each other.
Tasmanian woman Justine Barwick was bitten on her leg while snorkelling on September 19.
RACQ CQ rescue helicopter crewman Ben McCauley said Barwick had "quite a big chunk of leg taken" and had suffered arterial bleeding as well as puncture wounds to her calf muscle.
Barwick underwent an 18-hour surgery to save her right leg.
Melbourne girl Hannah Papps was not so lucky.
The 12-year-old was also bitten on her leg while swimming at the spot the day after Barwick.
Paramedics treated her on Hamilton Island before she was flown by helicopter to Mackay Hospital.
She underwent multiple surgeries including a leg amputation.
