Fear not, say shark experts after attacks rattle Australian swimmers

Sydney: A recent string of shark attacks across Australia has rattled swimmers' nerves, but experts say fear not - it's (relatively) safe to go in the water.

"This is a mild hysteria," said Rachel Robbins, chief scientist at Australia's Rodney Fox Shark Research Foundation, named for and founded by the famed shark expert.

"I think it's just a freak coincidence that we've happened to have three shark attacks in two days."

Despite the assurances, a debate is raging over whether there are indeed more sharks in Australia's waters - or whether simply more swimmers are aware of the creatures' presence.

The trouble began on December 27, when 51-year-old Brian Guest vanished while snorkeling with his son off a beach in Western Australia.

A piece of his wet suit was later found, and officials said he was almost certainly eaten by a shark.

On Sunday, a 13-year-old surfer in the island state of Tasmania was dragged under water by a five-metre great white shark, and a 31-year-old surfer was bitten while surfing at a remote beach in New South Wales state.

Both survived. On Monday, Steven Fogarty was snorkeling in southern New South Wales when a shark latched onto his leg. He survived after letting fly a flurry of punches that caused the shark to let go.

Several beaches have been closed after sharks were spotted close to shore, while officials have warned people to swim in groups and to avoid swimming at dawn and dusk.