SYDNEY holds its breath — After surviving surgery the night before, 12-year-old Nico Antic showed signs of recovery. But then a sudden, insidious complication changed everything without warning his family…

The young boy mauled by a shark in Sydney Harbour on Sunday is not expected to survive, according to a fundraising page started by a family friend.

Nico Antic, 12, was swimming with friends at a popular jump rock west of Shark Beach at Nielsen Park in Vaucluse on Sunday afternoon when he was bitten by what is believed to have been a large bull shark.

Nico Antic is not expected to survive after being attacked by a shark in Vaucluse on Sunday.GoFundMe
A heroic group of friends pulled him from the water and a quick-thinking police officer applied tourniquets to the boy’s severely mauled legs before he was helped onto a police marine boat. Officers aboard performed CPR and he was later rushed to Sydney Children’s Hospital, Randwick.

An online fundraising page has been launched by Victor Piñeiro, who describes himself as a “close friend” of the Antic family.

In a message posted on Tuesday evening, Piñeiro informed donors that despite “all efforts” in hospital, this “heartbreaking event has led to the worst possible outcome”.

“We are raising funds to help the Antic family cover upcoming expenses and related arrangements during this incredibly difficult time,” he wrote.

Officers at Rose Bay ferry wharf, where the boy was treated by paramedics.Max Mason-Hubers
“Any contribution, no matter the size, would be deeply appreciated and will help ease the financial burden as they grieve. Thank you for your kindness and support.”

The Herald confirmed the information relayed in these posts with an independent source close to the Antic family who was not authorised to speak publicly.

More than $55,000 from over 700 donors has been raised for the family since the fundraiser was established. About $30,000 of the total was raised in three hours on Tuesday night.

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Nine News has reported that Nico is on life support, while police sources told the Herald the boy is alive but remains critical.

Nico served as a nipper at North Bondi Surf Life Saving Club alongside his parents. In 2024, he was awarded the under 11 boys’ most improved award by the club.

He was placed in an induced coma in hospital, where he underwent surgery on Sunday.

Several blood transfusions were administered to the boy before arriving at hospital.

Sunday’s attack marked the first of four in less than 48 hours along the NSW coastline, including the mauling of surfer Andre de Ruyter at North Steyne Beach on Monday evening.

The severely injured 27-year-old was dragged to the Manly shoreline by two nearby surfers before a group of bystanders used leg ropes as makeshift tourniquets to stem the bleeding from his calf.

He was rushed to Royal North Shore Hospital and his lower right leg was amputated overnight. De Ruyter remains in intensive care.

First responders at Manly performed CPR on the shark bite victim.James Brickwood
Surfers were also attacked at Dee Why and on the Mid North Coast, but escaped serious harm.

Four suspected bull sharks were spotted in the waters near Point Plomer, north of Port Macquarie, where 39-year-old surfer Paul Zvirzdinas was attacked on Tuesday morning.

The shark knocked Zvirzdinas off his board and into the water, tearing his wetsuit and biting his board about 10am.

He was taken to Kempsey Hospital, where he was treated for minor grazing to his chest before being discharged in the afternoon. Surf Life Saving NSW chief executive Steve Pearce said Zvirzdinas was “extremely fortunate” to have avoided a major injury.

On Monday, an 11-year-old boy escaped unharmed after he was attacked at the southern end of Dee Why Beach while surfing with his father. He was helped to shore by a group of nearby surfers, while his board was bitten by the shark.

Bull sharks, a territorial species which prefer brackish water and frequent Sydney Harbour in January and February, are suspected to be responsible for all four incidents.

The spate of attacks prompted NSW Premier Chris Minns to call for beefed-up warnings about bull sharks in waters across the state and to pledge to keep nets in place at beaches.

He suggested public notifications be issued when the water turned murky, dirty and warm after extensive rainfall, to warn about elevated swimming risk.

A spokesperson for the Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development confirmed shark nets were in place at Manly’s North Steyne when the attack occurred on Monday, and at Dee Why, where the 11-year-old boy was attacked hours earlier.

The NSW government abandoned a planned trial to remove shark nets at three beaches after Mercury Psillakis was killed by a shark at Long Reef Beach, near Dee Why, in September.