Authorities reported that a 12-year-old Australian boy is fighting for his life after suffering catastrophic injuries in a shark attack in Sydney Harbor—he survived only because his friends jumped from a cliff and dragged him back to shore.

Police said in a statement that the attack occurred around 4:20 p.m. on Sunday, after the boy jumped from a 20-foot ledge known as Jump Rock near Shark Beach in the eastern suburbs. The boy sustained severe injuries to both legs, which are believed to have been caused by a “large shark,” police added.

His three friends immediately jumped into the water and pulled him to shore—actions that authorities say likely saved his life.

“The actions of his mates who entered the water to pull him out were nothing short of brave,” said Superintendent Joseph McNulty of the New South Wales Police Marine Area Command, noting the injuries were “very confronting” for the young rescuers to witness.

Local media reports stated the boy lost both legs in the attack.

“He’s now facing the fight of his life, and the actions of emergency services yesterday gave him that chance,” McNulty said.

This attack was one of three shark encounters reported in the Sydney area within just over 24 hours.

On Monday evening, a surfer in his 20s was bitten on the leg by a shark off North Steyne Beach in the northern suburb of Manly. Bystanders pulled him from the water, and he was taken to a hospital, police said.

Earlier Monday, an 11-year-old boy escaped unharmed after a shark bit into his surfboard at Dee Why Beach—also north of Manly.

Authorities believe bull sharks may be responsible for at least the first two attacks. Police said recent rainfall had increased murky freshwater runoff into Sydney Harbor, conditions known to heighten bull shark activity.

Sydney’s northern beaches, including North Steyne and Dee Why, remained closed as a precaution. All three locations have shark netting, though officials said it was not immediately clear whether the attacks occurred near those barriers.