A schoolgirl mauled by a shark in Australia's Whitsunday Islands last month has had one of her legs amputated.
Hannah Papps (12), is in a stable condition in Queensland Children's Hospital after undergoing several surgeries since the attack in Cid Harbour, off Whitsunday Island, on September 20 , Nine News Australia reports.
Hannah, whose family is from New Zealand and now live in Melbourne, was mauled by the shark in shallow water, 24 hours after Tasmanian Justine Barwick (46) was bitten on her left thigh while snorkelling in the same area.
A picture of Hannah after the amputation was posted on Instagram by Australian Paralympian Ellie Cole.
The picture showed Hannah using a wheelchair for the first time during a visit by the champion swimmer.
"Twelve-year-old Hannah lost her leg to a shark attack only three weeks ago while holidaying in the Whitsundays," Cole wrote.
"Today she jumped in a wheelchair for the first time and I couldn't even keep up with her. She's going to be great."
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Cole, a six-time Paralympic champion, lost her right leg to a rare cancer as a 3-year-old.
Barwick underwent an 18-hour surgery to save her right leg, Nine News Australia reports.
She flew home to Tasmania last week to continue her treatment in Hobart.
The attacks prompted the Queensland government to catch and kill a number of sharks in the area, ''in the interests of public safety".
- additional reporting AAP
