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A woman is in a critical condition after being attacked by shark at popular beach - she has been airlifted to hospital after a massive emergency services response

The shark alarm rang out at a popular Australian beach after a woman was bitten near the shore. She has been airlifted to hospital in a critical condition.

Police have said that emergency services were called to Coogee Beach, in Sydney just before 11.15am on Saturday, June 13 after reports that a swimmer had been attacked by a shark.

The swimmer, believed to in her 30s, has suffered serious arm and leg injuries, police said.

A witness told Australian news outlet news.com.au that a lifeguard on a surfboard rushed over to attend to the woman when screams were heard.

"I saw the shark's fins," the witness said.

"A swimmer was doing laps not far from shore. The lifeguard made an X symbol with his arms and the shark alarm sounded."

The witness said there was "a lot of blood" in the water and that it appeared the swimmer had been bitten on the torso.

New South Wales police said the woman was pulled from the water by members of the public who commenced first aid before the arrival of emergency services.

Police then rendered first aid to the woman before a helicopter has airlifted her to hospital.

Nearby beaches, including Coogee, Clovelly and Bronte have been closed.

Just months earlier, a 12-year-old boy who was attacked by a shark in Sydney. Nico Antic was mauled by a shark in Sydney's east on Sunday, January 18 and died later that month.

The shark attack was the first in a string of other maulings that followed in the days after Nico was hospitalised.

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