Shark kills swimmer off beach in Western Australia

A shark killed a swimmer off Sorrento Beach near Perth, Western Australia on Friday, according to police. This incident marks the fourth death from a shark attack in Australia this year. A male swimmer was bitten by a shark while swimming along the coast, stated a Western Australia state police spokeswoman. Emergency services were immediately dispatched to the scene, and police helicopters and boats began searching the waters off Sorrento Beach in the morning. Beaches in the area were subsequently closed until further notice.

Witnesses reported seeing blood in the water, reminiscent of the scene depicted in the film Jaws. An unidentified male witness on the beach told local broadcaster Seven that he saw a body being flicked around like a rag doll. Surf Life Saving WA confirmed via social media that the incident occurred approximately 50 meters offshore, involving an unidentified species of shark.

This shark attack marks the second incident in Western Australia this week. Earlier, a man lost part of his leg after being bitten at Glenfield Beach, north of Perth. The year has already seen multiple shark attack fatalities across the country. In January, a 12-year-old boy died after being bitten by a shark while swimming in Sydney Harbour.

Between May and June, three divers were fatally mauled in separate incidents – two in Western Australia and one in Queensland. In June, a woman also had part of her left arm amputated following a shark attack at Sydney's Coogee beach.

According to a database of shark encounters with humans, there have been around 1,300 shark incidents around Australia since 1791, with more than 260 resulting in death.