Australia: Man killed in shark attack near Perth

A swimmer perished in a shark attack off the coast of Perth, Western Australia, on Friday, according to police. Emergency responders were dispatched to Sorrento Beach to investigate the incident. Witnesses reported observing the man being attacked by a shark, noting pools of blood in the water. The identity of the victim has not been disclosed, and it remains unclear if any remains were recovered.

The victim was reportedly a male swimmer who sustained fatal injuries during the attack. This marks the fifth fatal shark attack in Australia in 2023, with four previously recorded incidents. In May and June, three spearfishing divers were killed by sharks in separate incidents, while in January, a 12-year-old boy succumbed to injuries sustained from a bull shark attack in Sydney Harbor.

On Monday, a surfer received severe injuries to his leg near Geraldton, approximately 250 miles north of Perth. Over the past quarter-century, Australia has experienced an average of two to three fatal shark attacks per year, as reported by the Australian Shark Incident Database.