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Man dies after shark bite off Western Australia coast

A man attacked by a shark off Western Australia's coast on Saturday died of his injuries, police said, in what is the second fatal shark attack in Australia so far this year.

Sam McKeith

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24 May 2026 at 15:32:47

Man dies after shark bite off Western Australia coast

FILE PHOTO of a shark

Karen Zhang via Unsplash

SYDNEY, May 16 (Reuters) - A man attacked by a shark off Western Australia's coast on Saturday died of his injuries, police said, in what is the second fatal shark attack in Australia so far this year.


The 38-year-old victim, yet to be identified, was bitten on Saturday morning at Horseshoe Reef near Rottnest Island, about 31 km (19.2 miles) west of 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.



(Reporting by Sam McKeith in Sydney; Editing by Kirsten Donovan)

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