Australian youth pastor killed in shark assault on Great Barrier Reef | EUROtoday

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A youth pastor was killed in a shark assault whereas spearfishing within the waters of Australia’s Great Barrier Reef.

Luke Walford, 40, a chaplain on the Cathedral of Praise Church in central Queensland, was fishing together with his members of the family on Saturday when a shark attacked him, Queensland police mentioned.

He succumbed to his accidents on the scene simply earlier than 6pm native time regardless of repeated makes an attempt by paramedics to revive him.

A rescue helicopter was referred to as to the Humpy Island tenting space within the Keppel Bay Islands National Park, about 18km off the mainland, after the pastor was attacked at round 4.30pm native time, the police mentioned.

A Queensland ambulance spokesperson instructed AFP Walford suffered a “life-threatening wound to his neck” following the shark assault.

Family buddy Doug Webber mentioned he watched the rescue helicopter fly over his home in the direction of the island.

“I always say a little tribute for whoever it may be, but to find out it was Luke was a very sad day,” he told state broadcaster ABC.

Walford’s church paid tribute in a Facebook post saying “he was attacked by a shark while doing something he loved – spearfishing, a passion that was passed down to him by his father”.

“He was truly a beloved figure, especially among our young people, children, and the entire congregation. Our prayers are with Luke’s family, especially his wife, his mother, and all his relatives.”

Local MP Donna Kirkland expressed shock and mentioned Walford was a buddy to her and “numerous others”.

“My prayers and heartfelt condolences are together with his stunning household and certainly the various who can be devastated, as I’m, at this information,” she mentioned.

This was the second shark assault in central Queensland in December. A person was rushed to hospital after he was attacked by a shark off Curtis Island earlier within the month.

Last month, a brand new examine confirmed a brand new mild system developed by Australian scientists to imitate ocean camouflage may deter Great White Shark assaults. Marine predators like sharks find prey by on the lookout for silhouettes illuminated by daylight from above.

Such silhouettes from surfers when seen from beneath could confuse hunters just like the Great White Shark, which can mistake them for seals or different prey.

Taking inspiration from smaller species emitting mild from their undersides as a camouflage technique, the scientists examined an identical technique by becoming LED lights on seal decoys.

The scientists assessed if completely different brightness ranges of the lights would influence predator assaults. They discovered that the sharks had been more likely to work together with seal decoys that didn’t have LED lights connected.