A shark attack Sunday morning claimed the life of a bodyboarder at Cable Beach in the Western Australian town of Broome.
According to the Sydney Morning Herald, the unidentified man was about 80 yards offshore when the shark bit his thigh and right hand. A couple that witnessed the attack swam out and pulled the man to shore, but he could not be saved.
Police fired several shots at the shark, which remained offshore in murky water for about 30 minutes. Some locals guessed that it was a tiger shark.
ABC Australia reported that the man was a local resident in his 50s, and that news of the incident shocked the tight-knit community.
Mark McGowan, Western Australia’s Premier, said in a statement: “It’s a traumatic and unexpected event and so I’d just like to pass all of our thoughts on to the people who love the man who has passed away. [It’s a] very, very sad day for Broome.”
Broome, a resort town about 1,000 miles north or Perth, is a popular fishing destination and several types of sharks have been spotted in area waters. But attacks on swimmers are rare, and the last fatal attack off Broome occurred in 1993.
Authorities estimated the shark to measure about 8 feet.
–Shark image is generic
