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Man dies in suspected shark attack in Western Australia Teenager dies after shark attack in Western Australia
(about 1 hour later)
A man has died in a suspected shark attack in Western Australia. A 17-year-old boy has died after being attacked by a shark while spear fishing off a beach near Albany, on the West Australian south coast.
WA police released a statement saying the man’s body was found at Cheynes beach near Albany at 12.20pm on Monday. Western Australian Police said the boy appeared to have been in an area off Cheynes Beach, about 65km east of Albany, at 12.20pm on Monday when he was bitten.
“The man appears to have an injury to his body. Based on an initial assessment it appears the injury is consistent with a shark bite, however further assessment will need to be made to confirm this,” police said. “Based on information we have been able to gather so far, it appears the deceased was diving and/or spear fishing in the area, with another person nearby,” a police spokesman said.
A spokeswoman from the Department of Fisheries said the man had been pulled from the water and had wounds consistent with bite marks, but said a shark attack had not been confirmed. “It is believed a shark approached both of them, and at that time the deceased appears to have received a shark bite injury.”
Fisheries staff are heading to the beach and will investigate the incident. Local police and St John Ambulance officers are attending the scene. WA Police is preparing a report for the coroner.
According to the SharkSmart website, there have been no reported sightings of a shark within 400km of Cheynes Beach for the past 30 days. The second person is not believed to have been injured.
Shire of Albany mayor Dennis Wellington said he understood the attack occurred at a popular fishing spot known as three stripes, near the bluff at the southern end of Cheyne Beach.
Wellington said the two fishermen were 40 metres off shore, in an area that is already 38 metres deep, and fishing while free diving.
“There was a report of a white pointer around that place earlier and one fisherman tried to warn the others,” he said.
“Unfortunately it appears he was too late.”
The Department of Fisheries has deployed drumlines in an effort to catch the shark, which it described as “most likely to be a white shark”.
In a statement, released a statement on Monday, it said it had confirmed that the teenager had suffered fatal injuries after being bitten by the shark.
Rangers from the Shire of Albany have closed Cheynes Beach until further notice.
The Department of Fisheries advised beachgoers to adhere to any beach closures and follow the latest shark sightings on SharkSmart.com.au, or on the Surf Life Saving WA twitter feed.
According to the SharkSmart website, there had been no reported sightings of a shark within 400km of Cheynes Beach for the past 30 days.
However the ABC reported that local surfers have talked about a shark swimming in the area in recent days.However the ABC reported that local surfers have talked about a shark swimming in the area in recent days.
An employee at Cheynes Beach Caravan Park told Guardian Australia the only shark sighting in the area had been of a bronze whaler in the week before Christmas.An employee at Cheynes Beach Caravan Park told Guardian Australia the only shark sighting in the area had been of a bronze whaler in the week before Christmas.
The sighting was reported at the general store, which is operated at the caravan park.But the employee, who did not wish to be named, said Cheynes Beach was “not a great shark area.” The sighting was reported at the general store, which is operated at the caravan park. But the employee, who did not wish to be named, said Cheynes Beach was “not a great shark area.”
We have had two dead whales that washed up on the beach this year or last year and Fisheries were trying to use them to lure sharks to the area to tag them - they went away empty handed,” she said. “We have had two dead whales that washed up on the beach this year or last year and Fisheries were trying to use them to lure sharks to the area to tag them - they went away empty handed,” she said.
The park is full to capacity for the week leading up to New Years Eve, and the employee, who did not wish to be named, said most people would have been at the beach today.The park is full to capacity for the week leading up to New Years Eve, and the employee, who did not wish to be named, said most people would have been at the beach today.
Cheynes beach is a popular camping spot 65km east of Albany on West Australia’s south coast. It is about 480km from Esperance where 23-year-old Sean Pollard was attacked by what’s believed to be two great white sharks on October 2.Cheynes beach is a popular camping spot 65km east of Albany on West Australia’s south coast. It is about 480km from Esperance where 23-year-old Sean Pollard was attacked by what’s believed to be two great white sharks on October 2.
Pollard survived the attack but lost an arm and a hand.Pollard survived the attack but lost an arm and a hand.