World News
Swimmer Dies After Shark Attack at Popular Perth Beach
A 63-year-old man has died after being bitten by a shark while swimming off Sorrento Beach in Perth, Western Australia, prompting authorities to clos...
By Wavers Multimedia
The incident happened at about 10:15am to 10:30am on Friday, September 18, when emergency services received reports that a male swimmer had been bitten by a shark while in the water.
EMERGENCY SERVICES LAUNCH SEARCH
Police, water personnel and aerial crews responded to the incident and conducted an extensive search around Sorrento Beach.
Western Australia Police later confirmed that the swimmer had died as a result of the attack. Reports initially said his body had not been located, while search operations continued along the coast.
The victim had reportedly been swimming with another man, who managed to return to shore.
Witnesses described a chaotic scene after the attack, with people on the beach alerted to what had happened.
One witness told ABC News that she saw a pool of blood in the water shortly after being alerted to the suspected shark attack.
BEACHES CLOSED AFTER ATTACK
The attack prompted authorities to close Sorrento Beach and other nearby beaches as a precaution.
The City of Joondalup closed beaches including Hillarys, Whitfords and Mullaloo, while other coastal closures were also reported in the surrounding area.
Beach users were advised to stay out of the water while authorities monitored the area and assessed the situation.
Sorrento Beach is a popular swimming location about 20 kilometres north of Perth's central business district and close to Hillarys Marina.
SHARK SIGHTED BEFORE ATTACK
The fatal incident came after a member of the public reported seeing a shark measuring about 2.5 metres in length in the area.
Authorities have not publicly confirmed that the reported shark was responsible for the attack, and the species involved had not been officially identified in the initial reports.
The incident has also drawn attention because it occurred shortly after another shark attack elsewhere in Western Australia.
SECOND SHARK ATTACK IN WESTERN AUSTRALIA THIS WEEK
The Sorrento Beach attack was the second reported shark incident in Western Australia during the same week.
On Monday, a firefighter, Mel Ismail, was seriously injured after being bitten by a shark at Glenfield Beach, north of Geraldton. He was reported to be in a stable condition in hospital.
Surf Life Saving WA had also recently begun weekend helicopter shark patrols ahead of the summer season, with daily patrols scheduled to begin later in September.
PREMIER SENDS CONDOLENCES
Western Australian Premier Roger Cook expressed his condolences following the fatal attack.
He described the incident as a heartbreaking tragedy and offered his thoughts to the victim's family and loved ones, as well as first responders who attended the scene.
Authorities continued monitoring the coastline following the attack and urged members of the public to follow beach closure warnings and stay out of affected waters until they were declared safe.