ALBANY, AUSTRALIA — A 35-year-old spearfisherman has died after being attacked by a suspected 4.5-metre shark near Michaelmas Island off the coast of Albany, Western Australia, police said.
Western Australia Police said the man was spearfishing with family when the attack occurred on Saturday morning. Emergency services were alerted at about 11:25 a.m. local time, and the injured man was taken by boat back to shore, where he was met by St John Ambulance WA paramedics. Police said he could not be revived.
“WA Police will prepare a report for the coroner,” the force said in a statement, according to reports of the incident.
The Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development (DPIRD) said it was assisting police and local authorities with the serious shark incident. The department urged people in the area to report shark sightings to authorities and follow local safety advice.
Michaelmas Island is located near Albany, on Western Australia’s southern coast. The incident occurred in waters where authorities have previously recorded shark activity, but officials have not made a determination on the cause of the attack or the species involved beyond identifying a suspected large shark.
The death followed another fatal shark attack in Western Australia in May, when a 38-year-old man was killed while spearfishing near Rottnest Island, according to police reports. The series of incidents has drawn attention from authorities and coastal communities, although officials have continued to emphasize monitoring, public information and safety measures rather than attributing the attacks to a single cause.
Police said investigations into the Michaelmas Island attack would continue, with findings to be provided to the coroner as part of the official review process.
