SYDNEY, Sept. 20 (Xinhua) -- An Australian woman is in a critical condition on Thursday after being attacked by a shark while holidaying in the world-famous Whitsunday Islands, in the country's northeast.
The 46-year-old from Tasmania was swimming near a charter yacht at the time of the attack, which left her with significant leg and torso injuries.
Authorities said the extent of the woman's injuries mean she is lucky to be alive, mostly thanks to an emergency room doctor who happened to be on a nearby boat, and the rapid assistance of a medical response helicopter which was also nearby.
Doctor John Hadok, an off-duty emergency department doctor from Mackay Base Hospital, was able to attend the woman when she was pulled from the water, bleeding heavily from a wound on her leg.
"The original first aid was actually really well done," rescue helicopter crewman Ben McCauley said.
"We actually didn't have to do anything with the leg, it was pretty much tourniqueted up, bandaged up and bleeding had stopped. They'd done a really good job."
The woman was transported by helicopter to Mackay Base Hospital where she remained in a critical condition.
