![\"shark-encounter-little-girl\"](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/australia\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/shark-encounter-little-girl.jpg\")
\n\t\t\t\tDigtialStorm\/iStock\t\t\t<\/p>\n
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As summer weather slowly creeps its way into New Jersey, I am practically foaming at the mouth to get to the beach<\/a>. I miss the summer sand, I miss the smell of sea foam, and I am so excited to wade in the ocean<\/a>. However, I don\u2019t believe I\u2019ll be going in deeper than my knees this year. The older I get, the more terrified of the ocean I am. Though it is certainly beautiful and so refreshing to experience, it is full of potential danger, from deadly currents to deadly creatures.<\/p>\n On May 16, 2026, a 38-year-old man was fatally attacked by a 13-foot great white shark.<\/p>\n According to People, the accident occurred in Perth, Australia, just before 10 a.m. The victim was attacked in the water at Horseshoe Reef, near Rottnest Island, the St. John WA Ambulance noted in a statement to People.<\/p>\n \u201cA 38-year-old man was in the water at Horseshoe Reef when he was believed to have been bitten by a shark<\/a>,\u201d a spokesperson told the magazine. \u201cThe man was conveyed by vessel to shore, where he was met by St. John WA paramedics. Sadly, the man was unable to be revived.\u201d<\/p>\n The victim was later identified as Steven Mattaboni, a father of two, who worked as a surveyor, People reported.<\/p>\n \u201cOur daughters have lost an incredible father<\/a> far too soon,\u201d said his wife, Shirene Mattaboni, who added that he was an \u201cavid fisherman and spearfisherman, who lived and breathed the ocean, he was always in tune with the sea.\u201d<\/p>\n LAD Bible reported that aerial footage<\/a> of the gruesome scene showed paramedics attempting to revive him.<\/p>\n Details from the scene are nothing short of horrific. According to 9 News Perth, the man\u2019s friends watched the shark attack as he was spear fishing off the reef. They pulled him aboard and raced him to the jetty in an effort to save his life.<\/p>\n \u201cHis friends have actually witnessed the horrific event<\/a>,\u201d Sergeant Michael Wear told the outlet. \u201cThe victim was on the surface at the time, about 20 metres [65ft] away from the vessel. Certainly quite horrific scenes for all involved, and all emergency services that were there did a fantastic job.\u201d<\/p>\n Witness Boyd Fraser told 9 News Perth the man\u2019s death was a \u201cterrible tragedy.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019ve been surfing for over 50 years, and I\u2019ve seen a lot of sharks, and I couldn\u2019t think of anything worse<\/a>, so I just walked here to pay my respects to him and his family,\u201d Fraser added.<\/p>\n Although sharks have a pretty negative reputation for \u2018mauling\u2019 humans, the number of attacks isn\u2019t that large. The Florida Museum of Natural History\u2019s\u00a0International Shark Attack File\u00a0investigated 105 alleged shark-human interactions<\/a> worldwide in 2025 and confirmed 65 unprovoked shark bites on humans and 29 provoked bites. In 2025, there were 21 attacks in Australia, and five of them were fatal.<\/p>\n The beach in the area has remained open with patrols taking place, but shark expert Dr. Daryl McPhee\u00a0told 9 News Perth that residents shouldn\u2019t be too alarmed. Rottnest Island is a popular tourist destination that is reached by ferry.<\/p>\n![\"Shark\"](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/australia\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/iStock-1475328819-1024x576.jpg\")
Philip Thurston\/iStock<\/p>\n![\"Great](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/australia\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/iStock-482711591-1024x576.jpg\")
ELizabethHoffmann\/iStock<\/p>\n