A tragic incident has struck Sydney Harbor as a young boy, only 12 years old, succumbed to injuries from a horrific shark attack, his grieving family confirmed on Saturday.

Nico Antic had been in a valiant fight for his life since the attack occurred on January 18. The young boy was swimming at a popular cliff-jumping location known as Jump Rock, located near Shark Beach in the eastern suburb of Vaucluse, when the unthinkable happened.

Sadly, on Saturday, Nico’s family announced the heartbreaking news of his passing.

“We are heartbroken to share that our son, Nico, has passed away,” expressed his parents, Lorena and Juan, in a heartfelt statement. “Nico was a happy, friendly, and sporty young boy with the most kind and generous spirit. He was always full of life and that’s how we’ll remember him.”

The tragic loss of young Nico has sent ripples of sorrow throughout the community, reminding us of both the unpredictable dangers of nature and the fleeting nature of life.

They also thanked first responders and medical staff at Sydney Children’s Hospital in Randwick for their efforts, as well as members of the community for their support.

A GoFundMe campaign launched by a family friend had raised more than $266,000 as of Saturday evening.

A swimmer takes a dip at Whale Beach ignoring warning signs as beaches in Sydney’s north have been closed since Tuesday due to shark attacks and dangerous currents in Sydney, Australia.  (Steve Christo/Corbis via Getty Images)

According to police, the attack took place at around 4:20 p.m. on Jan. 18, after Antic jumped from a 20-foot ledge into the water. He suffered severe injuries to both legs, believed to have been caused by a large shark.

His three friends immediately jumped into the water, pulled him to shore and called for help. Antic was rushed to the hospital in critical condition. 

Local media reported at the time that he had lost both legs.

A net runs into Sydney Harbor at a closed beach at Vaucluse in Sydney, Jan. 19, a day after a boy was attacked by a shark. (Sitthixay Ditthavong/AAP Image via AP)

The tragedy comes amid a surge in shark incidents across Australia. Dozens of beaches were closed this week after four shark attacks in mere days.

Australia averages roughly 20 shark attacks a year, with fewer than three proving fatal, according to Reuters.