Gladstone shark attack: Man dies after being bitten off Qld coast

The attack happened off the Queensland beauty spot of North West Island. Photo / News Corp Australia

A man has died following a shark attack off the Queensland coast.

The 23-year-old was swimming with a group of friends off North West Island, around 75 kilometres east of Gladstone.

Queensland Police said the man was swimming back to the group's charter boat when he was bitten. He sustained injuries to his leg, hand and elbow.

A doctor and paramedics responded and treated the man onboard the vessel before he was taken to Gladstone Hospital.

Gabrielle Holmes from Capricorn Rescue Service said a helicopter reached the boat around 6pm on Monday.

"At this stage we believe there was a group of them swimming and this patient was the last one to exit the water onto the boat, when the incident occurred," she told the ABC.

Despite a concerted effort to treat and stabilise the man's condition so he was well enough to travel, he died around 10pm in hospital.

A report will be prepared for the coroner.