Shark kills swimmer off beach in Western Australia

A shark attack claimed the life of a swimmer off Sorrento Beach, near Perth in Western Australia, on Friday, according to police. This marks the fourth shark-related fatality in Australia this year. The incident occurred while the victim was swimming along the coast. Police personnel, including helicopters and boats, conducted a search of the waters off the beach after emergency services were alerted in the morning. Authorities subsequently closed nearby beaches until further notice.

Witnesses reported seeing blood in the water, reminiscent of the chaos depicted in the movie Jaws, with a body being propelled like a rag doll. An unidentified male witness on the beach provided this description to local broadcaster Seven. Surf Life Saving WA announced on social media that an unidentified shark species was responsible for the attack, which took place approximately 50 meters offshore.

This marks the second shark attack in Western Australia within a week, following a similar incident at Glenfield Beach, north of Perth, where a man lost part of his leg. There have been several shark-related fatalities across the country this year. In January, a 12-year-old boy was bitten by a shark while swimming in Sydney Harbour, leading to his death.

Additionally, three divers faced fatal attacks between May and June, with two incidents occurring in Western Australia and one in Queensland. Another incident in June involved a woman who had her left arm amputated after being mauled by a shark at Sydney's popular Coogee beach. According to a database of shark-human encounters, there have been around 1,300 shark incidents in Australia since 1791, with over 260 resulting in death.