Update after ‘horrific’ shark attack kills man, 38, off popular Aussie island
Friends of a man killed by a shark while spearfishing off the coast of a tourist area fought desperately to save him.
The 38-year-old Perth man was attacked by a shark at Horseshoe Reef off Rottnest Island just after 10am on Saturday.
Sergeant Michael Wear, the officer in charge of Rottnest Island police station, later revealed the heroic efforts of the man’s friends after the horrific incident.
“The victim’s friends pulled his body out of the water, performed CPR on him on the way back and came straight to the Geordie Bay pier,” he told reporters on Saturday afternoon.
“Friends witnessed the terrible incident”
Sergeant Read said the man was spearfishing on the surface 20 meters from his boat, about a kilometer offshore, when the shark appeared.
“The injuries are quite horrific and from a family perspective we will not be going any further today,” he said.
“Obviously it’s a very confronting scene. It’s certainly quite horrific scenes for everyone involved and all the emergency services who were there did a fantastic job.”
The RAC rescue helicopter was dispatched to the scene, but the injured man could not be resuscitated by paramedics.
Witness Jarrad Young was visiting Rottnest for a wedding.
“It was really challenging, I think everyone was hoping he would do well, but in the end he didn’t look so good, which is unfortunate,” he said.
“It’s a bit of a sad day obviously, no one wants to see this on the island. Everybody just wants to come and enjoy the beaches and the ocean.”
The Department for Primary Industries and Regional Development has urged those on Rottnest Island to pay more attention to the water.
The attack sent shock waves through society; WA Premier Roger Cook was among those to react to the horror, which he described as “deeply distressing”.
“This is a devastating time for everyone involved,” Mr Cook said.
“This is a tragedy that will be felt by all West Australians.”
