Deadly shark attack prompts rare kill order in Western Australia
Authorities in Western Australia have issued a rare catch-and-kill order for a great white shark after it killed a man swimming at Perth's Sorrento Beach on Friday. Beaches in the area remain closed until at least Sunday as the search continues.
Western Australian authorities have issued a rare order to catch and kill a great white shark after it fatally attacked a man swimming at the popular Sorrento Beach in Perth's north on Friday. The victim's body has not yet been recovered.
The man has been identified as 63-year-old Greg O'Neill. His family told the Australian Broadcasting Corporation he was a passionate swimmer who loved the ocean. Witnesses said two men had been swimming, but only one returned to shore, and a pool of blood was visible in the water. Another witness described seeing the man being tossed around by the shark. Members of the public reported spotting a shark around 2.5 metres (8ft 2in) long at the time.
The Joondalup local authority, which covers Sorrento, closed all beaches in the area as a precaution, with the closure set to remain in place until at least midday on Sunday. Police patrolled the coastline by boat and helicopter on Saturday.
WA Fisheries Minister Jackie Jarvis said she authorised the order after water police spotted and identified the shark believed responsible for the attack on Saturday morning. Fisheries officers were given permission to destroy the shark if captured, given what the minister called exceptional circumstances. Great white sharks are a protected species in Australia, and this is reportedly the first such order issued in the state in a decade. Jarvis stressed it was not a broad cull like those seen in the past, and said the use of drones and shark tagging would be stepped up.
It is the second shark attack in Western Australia this week. On Monday, a 56-year-old man survived being bitten while surfing near Geraldton but lost part of his leg. Australia has recorded five fatal shark attacks this year, including a 12-year-old boy killed in Sydney Harbour in January.
