PUBLISHED : 16 May 2026 at 15:24
People stand next to warning signs after a surfer was attacked by a shark at Dee Why Beach in Sydney, Australia, on Jan 19, 2026. (Photo: Reuters)
A man attacked by a shark off the coast of Western Australia has died of his injuries, police said on Saturday, in what is the second fatal shark attack in Australia so far this year.
The 38-year-old victim, who is yet to be identified, was bitten on Saturday morning at Horseshoe Reef near Rottnest Island, about 31 kilometres west of the state capital Perth, police said in a statement.
The man was taken to shore but could not be revived, police said, adding that a report would be prepared for the coroner.
State authorities advised people to take extra caution in the water at Rottnest Island, a popular tourist destination.
Aerial footage from the Australian Broadcasting Corporation showed a police boat, police officers, and a rescue helicopter with a stretcher at the scene.
The attack follows the death in January of a boy bitten by a shark in Sydney Harbour, after a series of shark attacks along the country’s east coast.
Most shark attacks occur along the east and southeast seaboard of Australia, which averages around 20 such incidents a year, according to Australia’s Institute of Health and Welfare.