BRISBANE, Australia (AP) – Several tourist beaches along Australia’s popular Gold Coast were closed again Sunday because of a massive feeding frenzy involving more than 100 sharks, a lifeguard official said.
Several beaches in Queensland state were closed for the second straight day after more than 100 hammerhead, gray nurse and whaler sharks were spotted feeding close to shore, said Sue Neil, spokeswoman for Surf Lifesaving Queensland.
Neil said most swimmers were staying out of the water, but some surfers were putting themselves at risk by coming within yards of the feeding frenzy.
“When they (sharks) feed on the bait fish they do close their eyes and there is a danger of collision,” she said. “If they are chomping, they could very easily chomp on humans.”
Last month, a 21-year-old Australian woman was fatally mauled by as many as three sharks in a regular shark-feeding area off North Stradbroke Island in Queensland.
AP-ES-02-12-06 0916EST
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