A shark that fatally attacked a man on a beach in Perth’s north will be “destroyed” if it is captured, after an order was issued by the Western Australian government.
As the hunt for the animal remained under way on Saturday, the WA fisheries minister, Jackie Jarvis, revealed she had greenlit the order.
“Given the shark had been positively identified, remained in the vicinity following a fatal attack and was considered to pose an ongoing threat, I authorised fisheries officers to destroy the shark if captured,” she said in a social media post.
Emergency services were called to the popular Sorrento beach at about 10.30am on Friday after reports of a shark-related incident.
Western Australia police said a 63-year-old man had been bitten by a shark while swimming along the coast. He died as a result of his injuries, police said.
Emergency services, including water and air personnel, conducted an extensive search of the area. The swimmer’s body had not been found.
Sign up for the Breaking News Australia emailWater police requested the shark be captured to assist with the recovery of potential coronial evidence.
Police and fisheries officials remained in the area and nearby beaches were closed.
“My deepest condolences are with the family and loved ones of the 63-year-old man who tragically lost his life at Sorrento Beach yesterday,” Jarvis said.
“This is an incredibly sad and distressing incident and my thoughts are with everyone involved.”
Locals were urged to stay out of the water until the beach was declared safe for swimming.
The local state MP, Liam Staltari, extended his condolences to the man’s family, friends and loved ones.
“Like all locals and people from across WA, I’m deeply saddened by the tragic death of a man following today’s shark attack at Sorrento beach,” he said.
“Our entire community is thinking of you at this incredibly difficult time.”
A witness, Darrel Haythornthwaite, told 7News that he could not believe the incident had occurred, “especially in a place like this”. He said the man’s friend, who was swimming with him, made it back to shore but was inconsolable.
“He felt bad because he didn’t go back to save his mate and I said, ‘Nah you couldn’t have done that’,” he told the outlet. “There’s nothing that anyone could have done.”
Another witness, Ingrid Mitchell, told 9News she swam at the beach every day and did not expect sharks to attack outside dawn and dusk.
“There was other swimmers in there … just near the seaweed, and there was one poor girl there who was sunbaking, and she saw the whole lot as well,” she said.
A third witness, Jacqui Rapaic, told the ABC she was walking along the beach with a friend when the incident occurred.
“My friend said, ‘Jac, I think there’s been a shark attack,’ and I looked out to the ocean and I could see a pool of blood,” she said.
“I hugged on to my friend … [we] felt rather traumatised at that point. It happened so quickly.”
The fatality followed a shark attack on Monday at the remote Glenfield beach, north of Geraldton on WA’s mid-west coast, which left a surfer with serious injuries.
He was taken to the nearby Geraldton health campus and was in a stable condition.
– with AAP
