A 35-year-old man died after being bitten by a suspected 4.5-metre shark while spearfishing near Michaelmas Island, Western Australia, on Saturday morning around 11:25-11:30 AM local time (AWST) [1, 2, 3, 4]. The man was diving with his family at the time of the attack.
He was quickly brought ashore by boat, where paramedics treated him but were unable to revive him [1, 2, 3, 4]. Police are preparing a report for the coroner as authorities continue their investigation [1, 2, 3].
Michaelmas Island lies near Albany on Western Australia's south coast, approximately 240-375 kilometres southeast of Perth [1, 2, 3, 4]. The Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development (DPIRD) is assisting police and local officials, urging caution in the area [1, 2, 3].
Western Australia Premier Roger Cook called the event a tragedy and expressed his condolences to the victim's family, friends, and first responders [4]. Commercial fisherman Gregory Sharp said, "We do see an increase in larger sharks this time of the year, particularly chasing the sardine and the salmon along the coast, which is quite normal. Sharks also tend to attack in areas where there's a lot of seals, and the island area in King George Sound is renowned for seals" [4].
This marks Australia's fourth fatal shark attack in 2026. Earlier incidents include a 12-year-old boy killed in Sydney Harbour in January, Steve Mattabonni, 38, killed at Rottnest Island near Perth on May 16, and Michael Jensz, 39, killed at the Great Barrier Reef on May 24 [3, 4]. Shark attacks in Australia average about 20 per year, with usually three fatalities annually [3, 4].
Authorities continue to monitor the situation as the coroner's report is awaited and the public urged to stay vigilant when near coastal waters around Michaelmas Island [1, 2, 3].
