Boy, 12, dies following shark attack while swimming at popular cliff-jumping spot: 'We are heartbroken'

A 12-year-old Australian lad has died pursuing a brutal shark onslaught successful Sydney Harbor, his household confirmed Saturday. 

Nico Antic had been warring for his beingness since Jan. 18, erstwhile helium was attacked portion swimming astatine a fashionable cliff-jumping spot known arsenic Jump Rock adjacent Shark Beach successful the eastbound Sydney suburb of Vaucluse. 

His household announced Saturday that helium had died.

"We are heartbroken to stock that our son, Nico, has passed away," Nico’s parents, Lorena and Juan, said successful a statement. "Nico was a happy, friendly, and sporty young lad with the astir benignant and generous spirit. He was ever afloat of beingness and that’s however we’ll retrieve him."

SURFER SAYS SHARK ATTACK FELT 'LIKE BEING HIT BY A CAR' AS BOARD BITTEN IN HALF: REPORTS

A 12-year-old Australian lad has died pursuing a brutal shark onslaught successful Sydney Harbour, his household confirmed Saturday.  (GoFundMe)

They besides thanked archetypal responders and aesculapian unit astatine Sydney Children’s Hospital successful Randwick for their efforts, arsenic good arsenic members of the assemblage for their support.

A GoFundMe run launched by a household person had raised much than $266,000 arsenic of Saturday evening.

FOURTH SHARK ATTACK IN THREE DAYS ROCKS AUSTRALIA AS AUTHORITIES CLOSE BEACHES AND DEPLOY DRUMLINES

A swimmer takes a dip astatine Whale Beach ignoring informing signs arsenic beaches successful Sydney's northbound person been closed since Tuesday owed to shark attacks and unsafe currents successful Sydney, Australia.  (Steve Christo/Corbis via Getty Images)

According to police, the onslaught took spot astatine astir 4:20 p.m. connected Jan. 18, aft Antic jumped from a 20-foot ledge into the water. He suffered terrible injuries to some legs, believed to person been caused by a ample shark.

His 3 friends instantly jumped into the water, pulled him to enactment and called for help. Antic was rushed to the infirmary successful captious condition. 

Local media reported astatine the clip that helium had mislaid some legs.

SURFER SAYS SHARK ATTACK FELT "LIKE BEING HIT BY A CAR" AS BOARD BITTEN IN HALF: REPORTS

A nett runs into Sydney Harbor astatine a closed formation astatine Vaucluse successful Sydney, Jan. 19, a time aft a lad was attacked by a shark. (Sitthixay Ditthavong/AAP Image via AP)

The calamity comes amid a surge successful shark incidents crossed Australia. Dozens of beaches were closed this week aft 4 shark attacks successful specified days.

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Australia averages astir 20 shark attacks a year, with less than 3 proving fatal, according to Reuters.

Fox News Digital's Stephen Sorace contributed to this report.