A man has died after being attacked by a great white shark at a popular diving spot.
The victim suffered the fatal shark bite while near Cull Island off the coast of Esperance in Western Australia.
The man - believed to be middle-aged and from the Esperance area - had been scuba diving with a woman between Cull Island and Charlie Island.
They had not long been in the water when the tragedy happened at around 1pm local time today.
The female is believed to have escaped and has since been taken to Esperance Hospital suffering from shock, reports the Esperance Express.
According to the Sydney Morning Herald , the man's body is yet to be recovered.
Western Australia's Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development (DPIRD) is investigating.
It said in a statement: "Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development are currently involved in assisting WA Police with a fatal shark bite incident near Cull Island in the Shire of Esperance.
"Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development received a report of a possible shark bite incident at approximately 1:00pm on Sunday 5 January 2020.
"A man received fatal injuries after being bitten by a reported white shark."
The department is urging people to take additional caution while in the Cull Island area and report any shark sightings to authorities.
Fisheries officers will also be conducting patrols in the area.
Meanwhile as we a great white shark found dead on a beach earlier this week had reportedly been kicked in the face by a gang of men.
The group also took selfies with the dying animal on Orewa Beach in Auckland, New Zealand.
It is thought to have been snagged on a net and then dragged onto the beach where it died.
Footage showed beachgoers trying to drag the predator back into deeper water, only to discover it had already died.
Witnesses on the beach said a group of men was seen kicking the shark in the jaw and laughing as it lay injured, New Zealand news outlet Stuff reported.
