Swimmer killed at Sorrento Beach

A 63-year-old man died after being bitten by a shark while swimming at Sorrento Beach in Perth on Friday morning around 10:30am. Emergency services conducted an extensive search but the body had not been recovered.

Kill order authorized for shark

Western Australian fisheries minister Jackie Jarvis authorized the destruction of the shark if captured, saying it had been positively identified and posed an ongoing threat. Water police also requested the shark be captured to help recover coronial evidence.

“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.”

Beaches closed, public warned

Nearby beaches were closed and locals were urged to stay out of the water until authorities declared it safe for swimming. Police and fisheries officials remained in the area searching for the shark.

Witness accounts of the attack

A witness saw a pool of blood in the ocean and felt traumatized by how quickly the attack happened. The victim's friend, who was swimming nearby, made it back to shore but was inconsolable.

“I looked out to the ocean and I could see a pool of blood.”

Second shark attack in days

This fatality followed another shark attack on Monday at Glenfield Beach north of Geraldton, where a surfer was seriously injured but remained in stable condition at Geraldton Health Campus.