A man is dead after a shark attack at a popular diving spot, suffering fatal head injures while spearfishing in an area locals say is attracting bigger numbers of the predators.
Emergency services were called to Hull River Heads boat ramp, about 160km south of Cairns in far north Queensland, shortly before noon on Sunday.
It followed reports the man had been attacked by a shark at Kennedy Shoal, a submerged reef some distance offshore from Tully Heads.
Queensland Police Inspector Elaine Burns said the 39-year-old was attacked while in the water with another person, who retrieved him and helped bring him back onboard a private vessel.
The vessel, understood to be about seven metres long, arrived back at the boat ramp about 1pm, where the man was declared dead.
