Shark kills 35-year-old spearfisher off Western Australia coast in third fatal attack in three weeks

The attack

A 35-year-old man died after being attacked by a shark near Michaelmas Island, close to Albany on the south coast of Western Australia. The man was spearfishing with family when the shark struck at around 11:25 local time (03:25 GMT) on Saturday. He was brought to shore where paramedics attempted to revive him.

Sadly, he was unable to be revived.

A 4.5 metre shark was later spotted by a member of the public near the island. Most authorities have described the species as unknown, although one Italian report suggested it was a great white.

A cluster of fatal incidents

The attack is the third fatal shark encounter in Australia in less than a month. On 24 May, 39-year-old Michael Jensz was killed while fishing off the Great Barrier Reef, and on 16 May, 38-year-old Steve Mattabonni died after an attack off Rottnest Island near Perth. A fourth fatal attack occurred in Sydney Harbour in January, when a 12-year-old boy was killed, according to another report.

Response and statistics

Western Australia’s Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development called on the public to exercise additional caution and to report any shark sightings. The state police are preparing a report for the coroner.

We urge people to take additional caution in the area and stay abreast of shark sightings.

Conservation groups note that Australia records around 20 shark attacks each year, but most are non-fatal; far more people drown at the country’s beaches.

Environmental factors

Some Australian scientists point to overfishing and rising ocean temperatures as factors that may be shifting shark migratory patterns and increasing encounters with humans.