The 12-year-old boy who was severely attacked by a shark in the waters off Sydney, Australia, is believed to be unlikely to regain consciousness following his horrific injuries.

The victim has been identified as Nico Antic. He was dragged from the water by friends after being attacked by what is thought to have been a bull shark.

New South Wales police quickly applied tourniquets to Nico’s badly injured legs before he was transported to Sydney Children’s Hospital, where he underwent emergency surgery.

Despite the best efforts of rescue teams and medical staff, Nico’s condition has been confirmed as irrecoverable. In a GoFundMe campaign launched to help cover medical expenses, family friend Victor Piñeiro said Nico’s ordeal “has led to the worst possible outcome.”

An unidentified relative told the Daily Mail that Nico “is still in a coma and will not survive because his brain is completely unresponsive.”

The incident occurred amid a surge in shark attacks across New South Wales, with a total of four reported within just 48 hours, between January 18 and January 20.

On the morning of Monday, January 19, an 11-year-old boy surfing at Dee Why Beach on Sydney’s northern shore narrowly escaped injury after a shark bit his surfboard and knocked him into the water.

That same evening, 27-year-old musician Andre de Ruyter was attacked while surfing at North Steyne Beach in Manly. He suffered severe blood loss and remains in critical condition in hospital.

On Tuesday, a 39-year-old man was injured while surfing at Point Plomer, about 250 miles (400km) north of Sydney along the New South Wales coast. The shark bit into his surfboard and wetsuit. Fortunately, his injuries were not considered serious, and he was able to drive himself to hospital for treatment.

Although the shark species involved has not been formally identified, bite marks on the victims and their surfing equipment indicate that bull sharks are the most likely culprit.

According to 7NEWS, Nico Antic’s family is preparing for the “worst possible outcome” following the attack in Sydney Harbour.

A spokesperson for the Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development (DPIRD) also said they believe a bull shark was involved, “based on the nature of the injuries and the environmental conditions at the site.”

New South Wales Police Superintendent Joseph McNulty told reporters that the incidents likely stemmed from several days of heavy rainfall, which caused a large outflow of freshwater into Sydney Harbour.

“At the moment, we’ve experienced a lot of freshwater in the harbour. It’s brackish water, so you can’t see the bottom. I would recommend not swimming there right now,” Superintendent McNulty said. “We believe the combination of brackish water, freshwater runoff, and splashing created a perfect storm for that shark attack.”

Following the attacks, several beaches were closed, with authorities increasing patrols using jet skis and drones.