Man dies after shark attack on Australian coast

SYDNEY - A man has been killed in an apparent shark attack off the southwest coast of Australia, several media outlets reported on Saturday, citing police and a friend of the victim.

The incident occurred on Saturday morning near Rottnest Island, off the city of Perth.

The 38-year-old was bitten at a reef popular with divers and fishermen, reports said. He was brought ashore with serious injuries and given medical treatment.

The man could not be resuscitated, a police spokeswoman said, and died at the scene.

According to the local rescue organization Surf Life Saving, a 4-meter (13-foot) great white shark was spotted in the area at the time of the attack.

According to official data from 2025, Australia has averaged around 20 shark incidents involving injuries per year over the past 10 years, with an average of 2.8 deaths recorded annually.

Three species native to the region pose the greatest danger to humans: tiger sharks, bull sharks and great white sharks.

In January, a 12-year-old died from injuries allegedly inflicted by a bull shark.

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This story was originally published May 16, 2026 at 1:34 PM.