Updated ,first published
Twenty-four hours after a man was attacked and killed by a shark while swimming off a popular Perth beach, police are continuing to search for his body as beaches up and down the coast are closed as a precaution.
The 63-year-old man was attacked while swimming about 50 metres off Sorrento Beach just after 10am on Friday, near a groyne that borders the Sorrento Surf Club.
He was in the company of another man who witnessed the attack, and the shark is described to have been up to six metres long.
Witnesses reported seeing the man be pulled below the surface repeatedly, before he disappeared. Lifesavers raced to rescue him but were unsuccessful in locating him.
A witness told this masthead there was blood in the water, while the swimmer who had accompanied the victim had to be consoled by rescuers once he got to shore.
The first call to emergency services was made around 10.15am, the same time as reports of a large shark in the area. Three St John WA ambulances were dispatched before being stood down.
One witness recounted the horrific scene, telling media the attack was confronting.
“I’m a nurse, so I mean I obviously see a lot of gruesome stuff, but to see somebody being [attacked] in front of me is pretty hard to clock,” she said.
“I only live just down the road, and I swim every day. I mean, there’s no way I’m going to be getting in that water again.”
It is understood the man was a regular swimmer, and authorities were seen carrying a pink board and a ski up towards the surf club from the beach.
A police boat and helicopter, along with the Surf Life Saving helicopter and a Fisheries vessel scoured close to shore for about an hour after the attack before widening their net out to sea.
It is understood the shark was sighted multiple times about 1.6 kilometres west of Hillarys Boat Harbour just after 1pm, and authorities tracked its movements.
About 1.11pm an official report with SharkSmart was lodged, estimating the shark to be about five metres in length and swimming west of the Boyinaboat reef break.
Forensics police and specialist detectives arrived at the scene and taped off a section of the car park, which is directly across from Sacred Heart College, along with the stairs to the groyne where the man was attacked.
On Saturday morning WA Police said the swimmer had still not been located after they conducted a search of the shoreline.
“A WA Police Force Water Police vessel will remain in the area today,” they said.
The City of Joondalup has deployed city safety officers, and has closed beaches from Burns Beach all the way to Marmion as a precaution. The City of Wanneroo later followed suit saying their beaches would be closed until midday Saturday.
A local woman who swims at the beach every morning said she was horrified by what happened, and considered Sorrento Beach a safe place for swimmers.
Locals who also lived nearby said the incident had reminded them of what happened to Ken Crew in Cottesloe in 2000, when the businessman lost his leg when he was bitten by a great white shark in shallow water metres off Perth’s Cottesloe Beach. He died from injuries.
The stretch of coast is bordered by the popular West Coast Drive, where hundreds of people make the scenic walk every morning.
The size and species of the shark still has not been confirmed. Fisheries will investigate.
Opposition fisheries spokeswoman Kirrilee Warr, who previously criticised the state government’s shark mitigation strategy following the attack on Geraldton surfer Mel Ismail on Monday, said she offered her condolences to the man’s family.
“My condolences and prayers are with the victim, their family, friends, first responders and the Sorrento community, following reports of a suspected fatal shark incident,” she said.
“This is a deeply distressing incident, and my thoughts are with all those affected, particularly those who witnessed or responded to what has occurred.”
The attack comes just months after the City of Joondalup reportedly received a settlement over a failed shark net that had previously been erected at the beach.
The shark net had failed to withstand the elements at the beach, and had broken apart over time.
It was ultimately taken down in 2020 and never replaced.
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