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Teenager dies after shark attack in Western Australia Teenager dies after shark attack in Western Australia
(35 minutes later)
A 17-year-old boy has died after being attacked by a shark off a beach near Albany, on the West Australian south coast.A 17-year-old boy has died after being attacked by a shark off a beach near Albany, on the West Australian south coast.
Western Australia 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 teenager was in an area off Cheynes beach, about 65km east of Albany, at 12.20pm on Monday when he was bitten.
“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.“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.
“It is believed a shark approached both of them, and at that time the deceased appears to have received a shark bite injury.”“It is believed a shark approached both of them, and at that time the deceased appears to have received a shark bite injury.”
WA police is preparing a report for the coroner. The second person is not believed to have been injured. Department of Fisheries acting director general, Dr Rick Fletcher, told a later press conference that initial reports indicated that the shark swam past one of the fishermen and bit the other on the leg, causing fatal injuries.
The mayor of Albany shire, Dennis Wellington, said he understood the attack had occurred at a popular fishing spot known as Three Stripes, near the bluff at the southern end of Cheyne beach. He said the two divers had already caught some fish, which may have attracted the shark.
“This is obviously an extremely tragic event for all the families involved and our sympathies go out to those particular families,” he said.
“We’re not looking to speculate at this stage on any of the details.”
Fletcher said Fisheries staff had been unable to confirm reports from another fisherman that he had seen a white shark in the area, but he said the description provided by the surviving diver, coupled with the size of the bite on the deceased boy’s leg, indicated it was a white shark.
“From the reports and the advice we have about the injuries it appears it was a very large shark, probably four to five metres, and probably a white shark,” he said.
“It was a large part of his leg and he was a large person, therefore it was a large shark.”
Fletcher said it was possible the shark had been speared by one of the divers during the attack, and may be injured.
Two fisheries boats were searching the area for the shark on Monday afternoon and drumlines were deployed. They are also scouring the beach for signs of an injured or deceased shark.
Fletcher said fisheries staff were searching for a white shark, and would assume they had caught the shark responsible if it was of the right species.
He responded to a question about criticisms of WA’s controversial catch and kill policy, which allows the culling of any shark considered to be a “serious threat”, by saying “we’re not going to discuss policy at this stage.”
“This is purely operational and we’ll try to do what we need to do right now,” he said.
Earlier the mayor of Albany shire, Dennis Wellington, said he understood the attack had 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 were fishing while free diving.Wellington said the two fishermen were 40 metres off shore, in an area that is already 38 metres deep, and were 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.”“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.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.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.According to the SharkSmart website, there had been no reported sightings of a shark within 400km of Cheynes Beach for the past 30 days.
But the ABC reported that local surfers have talked about a shark swimming in the area in recent days.But 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 Year’s 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 Year’s 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 on West Australia’s south coast. It is about 480km from Esperance where 23-year-old Sean Pollard was attacked by what were believed to have been two great white sharks on 2 October.Cheynes beach is a popular camping spot on West Australia’s south coast. It is about 480km from Esperance where 23-year-old Sean Pollard was attacked by what were believed to have been two great white sharks on 2 October.
Pollard survived the attack but lost an arm and a hand.Pollard survived the attack but lost an arm and a hand.