Man Missing After Shark Attack at Port Beach in Fremantle
Water police and rescue helicopters are searching for a man after a shark attack off Port Beach in Fremantle.
It is believed the 57-year-old father was swimming next to a dinghy at the time.
Authorities believe he was attacked by two sharks, a great white and a tiger.
Swimmers and witnesses at the scene are visibly shocked.
At least five Water Police and Sea Rescue boats and two helicopters are scouring the area and an ambulance has been sent to the scene.
A number of beaches in the area remain closed (Photo: Tabarak Al Jrood)
Beaches from Leighton to South Beach have been closed.
Actions of witnesses 'heroic and very brave'
Acting Inspector Emma Barnes said there was little information police could provide at this point.
"We're coordinating a marine search in conjunction with Fisheries for reports of a male adult who has been attacked by a shark," she said.
"I can say that the actions of the witnesses were heroic and very brave: for getting everyone else in the water out of the water and notifying everyone of what was happening."
Leeman shark attack victim shocked
Witness Alex Dodds, who was at Port Beach this morning, said he was shocked to find out about the incident.
"Apparently they're looking for a body, so sounds pretty bad. Hopefully they can find it," he said.
Alex Dodds (left) says he was attacked by a shark at Leeman (Photo: David Weber)
"I was coming down for my first swim post-op, six weeks ago. First time back in the ocean after my [shark] attack, so pretty heavy.
"I was attacked up in Leeman in June by a big great white, so it's close to home.
An ambulance waits at Port Beach for news of the missing teenager.(ABC News: Tabarak Al Jrood)
"I just feel so bad, obviously, for the bloke and then the family as well, it's just so sad."
Bodyboarders urged to get out of water
Bodyboarder Kaiden Bauld was near the groin at what's known as Sandtracks Beach when he saw a teenager on a boat coming straight at him and his friend, telling them to get out of the water as there had been a shark attack.
"So I ran out of the water and onto the rocks and I looked over and there was a shark in the middle of the water … you could see the fins popping out," he said.
"After that, we rode down here [towards Port beach] and everyone was saying 'someone has been taken by a shark'.
Kaiden Bould says he saw fins in the area after being warned to get out of the water (Photo: Fran Rimrod)
"Eventually they cordoned [the beach] off."
The attack comes on the anniversary of a shark attack that claimed the life of local swimmer Ken Crew off Cottesloe Beach in 2000.
© Australian Broadcasting Corporation. All rights reserved.
Comments
Far out, heavy news.
my daughter and her kids swim there...gulp
Think its a 50yo man that is missing
https://www.9news.com.au/national/shark-attack-port-beach-fremantle-pert...
'Witness Alex Dodds, who was at Port Beach this morning, said he was shocked to find out about the incident.
"Apparently they’re looking for a body, so sounds pretty bad. Hopefully they can find it," he said.
"I was coming down for my first swim post op, six weeks ago. First time back in the ocean after my attack, so pretty heavy.
"I was attacked up in Leeman in June by a big great white, so it’s close to home.
"I just feel so bad obviously for the bloke and then the family as well, it’s just so sad."'
Heavy
On the anniversary of the day Ken Crews got taken just up the beach at Cotts a few years back too. Really feel for the family and crew involved today. A pointer and a tiger. Nightmare.
Echos of Nick Peterson in 2004 off Adelaide. Rest in peace matey.
And Brad Smith at lefties. Similar situation although that may have been two whites.
thats terrible.
lets hope the body can be recovered so the family can get some closure.
RIP.
'closure'. wtf are you talking about
Burial and funeral
and how is that 'closure'. if platitudes are all you've got to offer, better off just shutting the f up.
nice person you are, pretty sure you wouldn't say that face to face.
You often hear of people wanting something physical to assist with acceptance and grieving.
You ok mate? This triggered you somehow?
Totally agree, they should have destroyed the shark ASAP so his remains could be buried with dignity by the family.
Thoughts go out to the victim's family. Terrible stuff.
There have been a heap of tagged Whities all up and down the WA coast pinging those receivers the last month or so...
Something changed, I keep a bit of an eye an a shark spotter app. There weren't as many whites sighted or pinging going back a couple or a few months. Now they're in close to shore..
R.I.P Cobba
Whale migration and snapper breeding season
+ 1 Quokka
October November, bad months. All condolences to the family.
Fark, condolences to the family.
Surfed there a bit myself when I lived in Perth and that’s the go to beach for my mates with grommets.
RIP & condolences to family & friends of the latest victim. Sadly this is becoming far to commonplace along our surfing coastlines.
Sad story and condolences to the family but commonplace ? That's a stretch , one attack every other year in comparison to the many many people using the ocean in WA on a daily basis ...
I wonder what the guys in the tinny were doing when he swam right by them before the attack ? Fishing by the sounds of it (burley in the water perhaps)
Tragic for sure but commonplace , nah
RIP mate
RIP
One attack every other year....one or more per year more like it
WA had 3 fatal attacks in 2011 by memory
Tue 9th is 12 mths since Esperance Kelp beds Fatal attack
4 in 2 years.
If asked would Vic Hislop make the call now that in 20yrs time a Fatal attack in Aust waters will be a Bi monthly occurence ?
I say he would ..
17 fatalities in last 20 years
WA has nearly 8000 km of coastline
How many daily beach users I don't know but around here the crowd in the water is off the charts , busy all day every day , fish stocks being smashed , whales migrating in record numbers
Statistics can be bent to support arguments both ways I guess.
As for bringing Vic Hislop into the conversation ...
Like asking Malcom turdballs what he thinks about Kevin Rudd , mute point
Pretty sure they were Skurfing mate
Fuk just so bad for the family and freinds . .....better quickly tag some more and do some more research and put more yellow boys in and drones up fuk doing anything that mitigates threat ...
Witnesses described the sharks as “majestic”.
These “apex predators” should be protected at all costs…..
meanwhile Chinese fishing boats in the South Pacific continue to….
Majestic, maybe…protected at all costs, not a chance. Fact of the matter is protection has done its job and like any animal population, if left unchecked with zero management, incidents will undoubtedly have to increase. Humans are the true apex species, end of.
When does the strategy change from protection to management like all other non-endangered animals?
It's got to be said, fix the Effing problem!! manage it.....
The shark should have been destroyed ASAP, to let it jus swim on down the coast posing a threat to others was beyond insane. Plus the remains could have been recovered for the family to bury. When a croc takes someone it is killed, should be the same for sharks.
Just to clarify a57yo male died not a teenager. Condolences to all and high praise to the tinnie teens.
It’s the gruesome death that terrifies us surfers but minuscule in numbers compared to other causes of death. We don’t cull cars or opioid prescribing GPs or ladder manufacturers which cause many more deaths in oz. look at AIHW stats. We can mitigate risks like helmets and seatbelts and common fkn sense. I’m an avid dawn patrol surfer and a spearo at times and wouldn’t be without my shark shield. Openly state not 100% effective but what mitigation is? Subsidised in WA and various products for different water users. Not the way I wanna go but having to deal with MVAs for my job is just as gruesome and far more common.
Absolutely tradgic!
Doing what he loved. Thoughts are with everyone involved.
Let’s start a separate thread on personal thoughts and beliefs on the recent shark activity out of respect for the family and friends of the man.