Charlize Zmuda: Girl, 17, killed in shark attack while swimming off Bribie Island in Queensland identified
and on Freeview 262 or Freely 565
The 17-year-old was attacked while swimming 100 metres offshore at Woorim Beach around 4:45 pm on Monday, as horrified onlookers watched. Despite the efforts of paramedics, she died at the scene.
The teenager, a local Queenslander and former captain of the Bribie Island Surf Life Saving Club, had spent the past week enjoying the summer with friends. She had shared photos on social media of herself surfing at sunrise, playing guitar by a bonfire, and driving a Jeep loaded with surfboards along the beach.
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Beachgoers heard "piercing" screams before police officers rushed into the surf to help, according to DailyMail. At first, some thought Charlize had been caught in a rip, but it soon became clear that she had suffered "catastrophic" injuries to her upper arm and torso from a shark bite.
Her devastated family and friends later gathered at the scene to mourn her loss. A friend paid tribute to Charlize on social media, writing: “Rest in peace, beautiful girl.”
Woorim Beach, a popular destination for surfers, campers, and four-wheel-drive enthusiasts, is the closest surf beach north of Brisbane.
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