A tragic incident has occurred on the edge of Australia’s Great Barrier Reef, where a 40-year-old man has lost his life following a shark attack. Local authorities report that the victim, a youth pastor named Luke Walford, was engaging in spearfishing with his family when he was bitten on Saturday afternoon.
Despite immediate medical assistance, Walford suffered “life-threatening injuries” and was pronounced dead at the scene approximately one hour later. The attack took place near Humpy Island within the picturesque Keppel Bay Islands National Park, an area renowned for its diving and snorkeling opportunities.
Walford had served as a school chaplain and was an active pastor at a local church in Rockhampton, Queensland. His sudden passing has left the community in mourning, with Donna Kirkland, his local Member of Parliament, expressing her shock and condolences. “My prayers and heartfelt condolences are with his family and the many who will be devastated by this news,” she stated.
A family friend recounted watching the rescue helicopter overhead, unaware it was responding to the emergency involving Walford. “To find out it was Luke is a very sad day,” he remarked.
Authorities have indicated that a report will be submitted to the coroner’s office for further investigation. This incident marks the first fatal shark attack in Australia since December 2023 when a teenage boy tragically lost his life in a similar event. So far this year, there have been four other shark encounters reported across the nation, highlighting Australia’s reputation for having one of the highest rates of shark attacks globally, second only to the United States.
