Six sharks killed after swimmers attack near the Great Barrier Reef

Six sharks were killed after attacks on two swimmers at a tourist destination in Australia's Great Barrier Reef.

A 12-year-old girl and a 46-year-old woman were mutilated in separate incidents last week and remained in the hospital in a stable state, reports Sky News.

Drum lines, which use baited hooks to catch the deadly predators, have trapped five tiger sharks, one 12-foot long, according to Queensland authorities.

Queensland said this week that the sharks had been "humane euthanized" and "taken to sea for disposal". However, local media said they were shot dead, reports the Daily Mail.

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"The message is that these waters are not safe for swimming," said a spokeswoman for weekly fishing in the UK.

Drum lines are expected to remain in place next week, although conservatives say the lines pose a risk to other marine animals.

According to the Australian broadcaster ABC, the two recent shark attacks were the first in eight years.