Shark attacks man in 20s at Bunker Bay, Western Australia

A man in his 20s has been bitten by a shark at the popular Bunker Bay beach in Western Australia, about 260 kilometres south-west of Perth, where he was believed to have been surfing.

Police say the victim was taken out of the water and a rescue helicopter was being sent to the beach.

A spokeswoman for St John Ambulance said the victim was a man in his 20s who suffered a bite to his leg.

The extent of his injuries is not yet known.

Bunker Bay is a popular tourist spot — this shark was captured on film there in 2015.(Supplied: Westpac Lifesaver Rescue Helicopter)

Fisheries WA said the shark was thought to be a four-metre white shark.

The Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development received a report of a possible "shark bite incident" about 2:15pm.

The rescue helicopter was dispatched from the regional centre of Bunbury.

A woman working at the nearby Pullman Bunker Bay resort told the ABC employees were asked to shift their cars from the carpark to make way for the rescue helicopter to land.

She said the man had been taken to a nearby house to receive first aid while awaiting the helicopter.

It is understood the victim had been surfing at the time and another surfer reported seeing a shark swim beneath him shortly before the attack.

It is expected he will be flown to Royal Perth Hospital.

People have been urged to take additional care in the Bunker Bay area and to observe any beach closures.

Bunker Bay is a popular, picturesque beach not far from the tourist town of Dunsborough, about 260 kilometres south-west of Perth.

The bay is frequented by swimmers, fishers and surfers who take advantage of the popular Farm Break surf spot at the north-eastern end of the bay.

In 2011 bodyboarder Kyle Burden was killed by a shark at Bunker Bay.

© Australian Broadcasting Corporation. All rights reserved.

Comments

MidWestMonger's picture
MidWestMonger's picture
MidWestMonger Friday, 31 Jul 2020 at 6:16pm

Wow i hope he's alright.
RIP Kyle, he was a good bloke taken too early.
Sounds very similar. Kyle was at boneyards. Crew around the corner at Rockies saw the shark cruise by and around the corner but couldn't get word to bunker bay.
The shark was said to have cruised past other people before randomly selecting poor Kyle.

udo's picture
udo's picture
udo Friday, 31 Jul 2020 at 6:47pm

Very lucky chap...hows the fucking bite on the board Christ - W.A.today got the pic

Westofthelake's picture
Westofthelake's picture
Westofthelake Friday, 31 Jul 2020 at 7:44pm
SI's picture
SI's picture
SI Sunday, 2 Aug 2020 at 12:01pm

Whoa, imagine trying to bite through your own board and get results like that! Man those sharks have some awesome biting power. I guess their teeth help quite a bit too, like it’s not like they are biting down with molars. Those lined up pointy sharp ended teeth are scary.

goofyfoot's picture
goofyfoot's picture
goofyfoot Friday, 31 Jul 2020 at 7:51pm

Jesus that would of bitten him in half

zenagain's picture
zenagain's picture
zenagain Friday, 31 Jul 2020 at 8:22pm

Hope he's ok with no lasting damage- physically or mentally.

RIP to Kyle too. Hope he's at peace.

ringmaster's picture
ringmaster's picture
ringmaster Friday, 31 Jul 2020 at 8:33pm

That bite span on his board says it all!

Without knowing the extent of his injuries, a seriously lucky bloke.

Rabbits68's picture
Rabbits68's picture
Rabbits68 Friday, 31 Jul 2020 at 8:34pm

Fark what a bummer. Well done to the crew who helped out. Incredible outcome all things considered. Hope everyone recovers soon enough.

tango's picture
tango's picture
tango Friday, 31 Jul 2020 at 10:07pm

Jesus. A 12ft white doesn't muck around. Hope you're all right, mate.

haggis's picture
haggis's picture
haggis Saturday, 1 Aug 2020 at 7:03am

I read somewhere that sharks are more present in cooler waters during Winter. Don’t know whether this comment has any veracity. TBB do you know anything about this?

truebluebasher's picture
truebluebasher's picture
truebluebasher Saturday, 1 Aug 2020 at 4:53pm

haggis is right to question...
Things are not quite right.. featured photo is not of this attack.

*(Feature Photo)
WA beach photo is from a SLSWA drone trial (See: swellnet date)

Sure, the featured photo shows a shark on back of a high...as being standard.
There is a stream that may flow nutrients after rain over berm on Higher Tide.
East Coast possibly wouldn't register but here...maybe more essential?

tbb doubts Sharks could gate outgoing bait fish on [ 0.17cm ] WA tides.
WA extreme wide shallow inshore waters, temps vary greatly to drop offs.
Alternating Reef currents are underrated, but are near impossible to Map...

A Likely attraction has been reported...
DPI : Drone surveillance Friday arvo Bunker Bay
"Seal Colony > Schooling Salmon."
https://www.sharksmart.com.au/news/

Latest News on WA 5m GWS
Fellow surfers stepped up again...Salute!
Girlfriend Mish was on the scene & thanked surfers + kind enough for update.
https://www.perthnow.com.au/news/sharks/surfer-phil-mummert-survives-bun...
Crew send best wishes to Phil

+ Another one or two!

USA is heating Up (Really!)
Maine GWS fatal (Woman swimmer in Wetsuit)

+ Long Island Scary Bull Shark is closing beaches
https://www.pennlive.com/nation-world/2020/07/shark-sightings-prompt-off...

tbb 2020 Oz Beached Whale Files. (Link)
https://www.swellnet.com/news/swellnet-dispatch/2018/11/22/buried-whale-...

Piggo's picture
Piggo's picture
Piggo Wednesday, 5 Aug 2020 at 2:58pm

We used to surf at that seal colony occasionally - only ever saw two other guys there. When the swell is 4-5m and the wind sw there's a fun left that breaks almost into the lagoon where the seals relax. They're quite curious and playful and will follow you along the wave. The bulls sit on the rock outcrop that heads the sheltered water....
We figured as long as the seals were relaxed it was okay - but it never felt safe and you wouldn't sit out deep waiting for that 'half hour' set.
Since all the attacks started I've avoided the place like the plague - it was stupid back then but now you'd be asking for it.

I focus's picture
I focus's picture
I focus Saturday, 1 Aug 2020 at 8:15am

Unbelievably lucky surviving an attack from an white that size must have focused on the board and not him hope he recovers OK.

Big shout to the bloke who went to him extraordinary bravery.

bipola's picture
bipola's picture
bipola Saturday, 1 Aug 2020 at 8:27am

time to cull the sharks and turn them into fish and chips

Yendor's picture
Yendor's picture
Yendor Saturday, 1 Aug 2020 at 9:03am

I'm pretty sure you're not going to be keen to eat any of the big ones. They are likely to be full of mercury. The higher up in the chain a predator gets and the bigger it gets the more mercury concentrates. I guess there's more than one way they can kill you.

Yendor's picture
Yendor's picture
Yendor Saturday, 1 Aug 2020 at 10:05am

I found this article on another site with some good safety resources including tourniquet information. Thought it might be useful to post it https://magicseaweed.com/news/first-aid-for-surfers-3-life-threatening-s...

bluediamond's picture
bluediamond's picture
bluediamond Saturday, 1 Aug 2020 at 5:19pm

Great share. Cheers mate. Hopefully this helps save someone else's life in the future.

lettuceleif's picture
lettuceleif's picture
lettuceleif Saturday, 1 Aug 2020 at 4:01pm

Buoys said when he got hit, the board pretty much disintegrated. Foot of his tail left and same with the nose. Rest was just litlle foamy floating icebergs

groovie's picture
groovie's picture
groovie Saturday, 1 Aug 2020 at 4:53pm

VERY LUCKY BOY looking @ the size of that bite to what is left of his board. GWS are the only sharks that do a drive by first & then ambush their victim from the depths underneath.Hope his recovery is complete, both physically & mentally.

Abmay's picture
Abmay's picture
Abmay Saturday, 1 Aug 2020 at 7:33pm

Incredibly fortunate. Anyone have any involvement with Bite Club? A friend of a guy who attempted to fight off the shark that attacked young Mani (RIP) at Wilsons Headland and brought him to shore to perform CPR asked me if I knew of the best avenue for support. Thanks.

I focus's picture
I focus's picture
I focus Saturday, 1 Aug 2020 at 8:51pm

Been through an attack see Stu or Ben for my details and pass on more than happy to talk through the issues and hopefully help out cheers.

Dan K's picture
Dan K's picture
Dan K Saturday, 1 Aug 2020 at 9:18pm

I can't remember the guys name but the guy that started it lives at Crowdy. He was bitten by a Bull entering the back beach there which must be around 8 years ago now.

frog's picture
frog's picture
frog Saturday, 1 Aug 2020 at 7:54pm

That shark won't be keen to repeat a mouth full of foam and fibreglass. One less to worry about.

quokka's picture
quokka's picture
quokka Saturday, 1 Aug 2020 at 8:51pm

Another one sighted there this morning by a drone...plenty of them around those parts

DudeSweetDudeSweet's picture
DudeSweetDudeSweet's picture
DudeSweetDudeSweet Saturday, 1 Aug 2020 at 9:19pm

There’s a few whites getting about these days.

GreenCT's picture
GreenCT's picture
GreenCT Sunday, 2 Aug 2020 at 1:18am

That used to be one of our go to spots to escape the crowds and the professional salmon fisherman who would have their gear on the beach always warned us about big sharks there and not to paddle out.
Of course being young and dumb we ignored them.

djizzah's picture
djizzah's picture
djizzah Monday, 3 Aug 2020 at 3:41am

whoa, western australia too sharky

Bungan33's picture
Bungan33's picture
Bungan33 Monday, 3 Aug 2020 at 10:05am

Surely JS should pop a fresh stick in the post for the lucky guy! Not sure how keen he'd be to use it though.....thank good he's alright.

udo's picture
udo's picture
udo Monday, 3 Aug 2020 at 10:27am

For sure they will...Abe Mcgrath got one..

ringmaster's picture
ringmaster's picture
ringmaster Monday, 3 Aug 2020 at 10:44am

Spoke with a mate who lives out near Cape Naturaliste the other day.

He reckons the surf has been mentally crowded cape to cape for months now. Lots and lots of crew on jobkeeper/seeker