Suspected 15-Foot Shark Claims Third Victim in Month: Spearfisherman Tragically Killed

Tragedy struck off the coast of Western Australia on Saturday morning when a fisherman lost his life in a suspected shark attack. The predator, believed to be nearly 15 feet long, attacked the man while he was spearfishing.

The victim, a 35-year-old whose identity has not been disclosed, was diving near Michaelmas Island. This location is a protected sand cay situated on the Great Barrier Reef, close to the city of Albany.

Michaelmas Island is approximately 240 miles south of Perth, the capital city of Western Australia.

Alarmingly, this incident marks the third fatal shark attack in Australia within just a month.

A fisherman was killed late Saturday morning after a suspected shark attack. (Mark Baker/AP)

The man was brought by boat to shore, but paramedics weren’t able to revive him.

On May 24, 39-year-old Michael Jensz was killed after suffering head injuries while spearfishing along the Great Barrier Reef off the country’s northeast coast. 

A bull shark is suspected in his death.

On May 16, 38-year-old Steve Mattabonni was killed by a white shark at Rottnest Island, a popular resort in Western Australia. He was also spearfishing.

In January, a 12-year-old also died a week after he was attacked by a shark in Sydney Harbor.

A bull shark is suspected in a man’s death in Western Australia.

Australia usually averages around three shark deaths per year.

“We do see an increase in larger sharks this time of the year, particularly chasing the sardine and the salmon along the coast, which is quite normal,” commercial fisherman Gregory Sharp told the Australian Broadcasting Company Saturday.

He added that sharks also tend to attack in areas “where there’s a lot of seals, and the island area in King George Sound is renowned for seals.”

A fisherman was attacked by a suspected nearly 15-foot shark off the coast of Western Australia. (iStock)

Michaelmas Island is located in King George Sound.

Western Australia Premier Roger Cook said in a Facebook post Saturday that he was deeply saddened to hear of this morning’s fatal shark attack in Albany. 

This is a tragedy and my thoughts are with the victim’s family and friends, as well as the first responders.”

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