A major search is under way for a swimmer feared dead following a suspected shark attack at Sorrento Beach in Perth’s north-west. The popular beach had its shark net removed six years ago.
Emergency crews were called to Sorrento Beach at about 10.15am on Friday after desperate calls for help.
“A lady came running out of the water saying that someone had been bitten by a shark,” local resident Ryan Rowe told The West Australian.
“Basically the shark grabbed him again, pulled him back down, and then it went out a bit further.
“It popped back up again, and then went back down, and they haven’t seen the body since.”
Mr Rowe said regular visitors to the coastal stretch were stunned by the suspected attack. “I couldn’t believe there was that much blood come out of a human body,” he said.
“We’re always sort of in and out of the water and stuff like that — it’s so close to home.”
Local tradesman Daniel Saligari said he saw a large “pool of blood” near the shoreline.
Police remain at Sorrento Beach following the suspected shark attack.
Sorrento Beach is a popular coastal destination north-west of Perth.
Emergency responders were called to the beach at 10.15am on Friday
No details about the missing person have been released and ambulance crews have since been stood down.
Other emergency responders, including water police and the Police Air Wing, remain at the scene, where a major search and rescue operation continues.
‘Further information will be provided once police have established the circumstances of the incident and, if required, family notified,’ a spokesperson said.
It is understood the suspected attack occurred about 15 metres from shore near the Sorrento Surf Life Saving Club and the missing swimmer had been on a boogie board with a friend.
Surf Life Saving WA reported a shark interaction in the area at 10.20am. The species is currently not known.
The Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development has launched an investigation.
‘DPIRD is working with local authorities, and further information will be provided as it becomes available,’ a statement read.
Sorrento Beach has since been closed and people in the area have been advised to exercise caution at surrounding beaches.
Pictured, authorities closed the area near Sorrento Beach after the suspected shark incident
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The WA government and City of Joondalup previously co-funded an eco shark barrier at the beach in 2016 which was approximately 670m long and 400m wide. It was removed in 2020.
Richard Lailey, who lives 800m from Sorrento Beach, told The West there were some measures in place but he had had his own experience with a shark almost a year ago.
‘About a year ago to this day, I was one of a group of four kayakers down here that was circled by a great white shark for about 10 minutes,’ he said.
‘I also saw that the shark SMART drumline just over there was triggered about 10 days ago by a great white shark.
‘I think that the fact of the matter is, this happened a year ago, almost today, this is obviously the danger time. September and October, of course, is when the whales are travelling south, and that is the time to avoid swimming in the water.’
Mr Lailey addressed the absence of a shark net after the barrier was removed.
‘It was costly to maintain, and I believe that was the reason why it was taken away in the end, so maybe it’s time to put it back,’ he said.
‘We’ve got the prevailing southwesterlies here that come into this corner, and it takes a bit of a beating. In concept it was a great idea, but in practice it didn’t work out very well.’
The sentiment was echoed by fellow resident Mandy, who said the conditions had caused problems for the previous enclosure.
‘They took the shark net down a few years ago. I think because of the swell, they found that it wasn’t actually working, and a lot of the time it was breaking,’ she said.
‘Shark mitigation methods would be helpful. I mean, obviously, we’d want more tagged sharks as a warning to tell us when something is coming towards you, so that’s probably a better idea than anything else.’
The Daily Mail has contacted the City of Joondalup for comment.
The incident comes after a man was rushed to hospital on Monday following a shark attack on a remote WA beach.
Emergency services responded to Glenfield Beach, north of Geraldton in the state’s Mid West, shortly after 9.45am on Monday.
Surfer Mel Ismail, 56, was seriously injured and rushed to nearby Geraldton Health Campus under lights and sirens.
It is understood the off-duty firefighter lost his foot in the attack. He is now in a stable condition.
Surf Lifesaving WA’s helicopter shark patrols began for summer last week.
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