A man in his thirties has been killed in a rare and tragic shark attack off the coast of Western Australia, authorities confirmed on Saturday.
The victim, a 38-year-old, was attacked just before 10:00 a.m. local time near Horseshoe Reef, off Rottnest Island, a popular tourist destination close to Perth. Police said the man was bitten by what officials described as a 4-metre-long great white shark.
Emergency responders rushed to the scene, with witnesses reporting that he was brought back to shore by boat, where paramedics and police attempted CPR at Geordie Bay jetty. Despite their efforts, he was pronounced dead.
Western Australia Police said the man could not be revived, while the state’s Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development confirmed the attack involved a great white shark and urged the public to exercise extra caution in surrounding waters.
The incident marks the first fatal shark attack in Western Australia since March last year, when a surfer was killed off a remote beach.
Australia has recorded nearly 1,300 shark encounters since 1791, with more than 260 fatalities, according to official data tracking such incidents.
Prior to this latest attack, the most recent fatal case occurred in January, when a 12-year-old boy died after being bitten in Sydney Harbour, highlighting a recent pattern of multiple incidents within short intervals.
Authorities have previously warned that changing ocean conditions, including warming waters and increased human activity in coastal areas, may be influencing shark movement patterns and bringing them closer to shore.
Officials have again urged beachgoers and water users to remain alert as investigations continue.
