A 38-year-old man has died after being attacked by a shark while spearfishing near Rottnest Island, a popular holiday destination in Western Australia. The incident occurred on Saturday morning at Horseshoe Reef, north of Marjorie Bay.
Details of the Attack
According to WA Police, the man was bitten on his legs by a 4-metre (13-foot) white shark at approximately 9:54 am local time. He was on the water surface about 80 metres from the shore and 20 metres from his boat when the attack happened. Police Sergeant Michael Wear told ABC News that the man had visited Rottnest with three friends from Perth's northern suburbs for a spearfishing trip.
Paramedics and police performed CPR on the man after he was brought ashore. “Sadly, the man was unable to be revived,” police said in a statement, urging the public to take “additional caution” in waters around the area.
Second Fatal Attack This Year
This is Australia's second fatal shark attack in 2026, following the death of a boy in Sydney Harbour in January. It also marks the first fatal shark attack in Western Australia since March 2025, when a surfer was mauled to death.
On average, about 20 shark attacks are reported in Australia annually, with fewer than three being fatal, according to previous research by conservationists. The Toronga Conservation Society reports that 1,300 shark incidents have been recorded in Australia since 1791, of which more than 350 were fatal, and 24 have occurred since 2020.
Official Responses
Western Australian Premier Roger Cook expressed his condolences. “It is deeply distressing to hear news of a fatal shark attack off Rottnest today,” he posted on Facebook. “It is a devastating time for all involved...I would encourage anyone impacted by this tragedy to reach out for support.”
Australia’s Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development (DPIRD) advised the public to “take additional caution in the Horse Shoe Reefs and Marjorie Bay areas” and stated that one of its patrol vessels would be monitoring the area.
Shark Behaviour and Risks
Scientists suspect that rising ocean temperatures and increasingly crowded waters around Australia are altering shark migratory patterns, bringing them closer to humans. White sharks are responsible for approximately 40 per cent of shark bites in Western Australia and all fatal bites since 1980. They commonly occur off the South and South West Coasts in coastal waters and in the open ocean from the surface to depths exceeding 1,000 metres, according to the Western Australian government.
