Beaches along Perth’s northern suburbs were closed following a fatal shark attack that claimed the life of a 63-year-old man off Sorrento Beach in Western Australia. Authorities reported that the man was swimming close to shore when he was attacked by a large shark, later described by officials as a great white. The swimmer’s body has not yet been recovered.

Emergency services responded quickly after witnesses alerted police, with helicopters and boats conducting extensive searches in the waters near the site of the attack. Distressed onlookers described seeing the man being pulled under repeatedly and blood spreading in the water. One witness likened the scene to a dramatic movie, saying the victim’s body was tossed about violently by the shark.

In response to the incident, the Western Australia fisheries minister issued an unusual catch-and-kill order targeting the shark responsible for the attack. Local authorities also closed all nearby beaches until further notice to ensure public safety.

This incident marks the fifth fatal shark attack in Australia so far this year, highlighting growing concerns about shark encounters along the country’s coastlines. Just days earlier, another man was seriously injured and lost part of his leg in a separate attack at Glenfield Beach, north of Perth. Earlier in the year, a 12-year-old boy died from a shark bite in Sydney Harbour, and three divers lost their lives in individual incidents between May and June in Western Australia and Queensland. In June, a woman underwent amputation of part of her arm following a shark attack at Coogee Beach in Sydney.

According to historical data compiled in a national shark incident database, Australia has recorded approximately 1,300 shark-related incidents since 1791, with over 260 fatalities. Authorities continue to monitor the situation closely as investigations into the recent attack are ongoing, and the closure of beaches remains in effect as a precautionary measure.