Tragic Shark Attack in Perth Leaves Witnesses in Shock
Updated 13:13 18 Sep 2026 GMT+1Published 11:22 18 Sep 2026 GMT+1
One person 'couldn’t believe there was that much blood (that had) come out of a human body'
A man has died after being ‘mauled to death’ by a shark in Perth, with onlookers describing the tragic scene.
Emergency services responded to a ‘shark related incident’ at Sorrento Beach, on the west coast of Australia, on Friday morning (18 September) at about 10:30am local time.
The Western Australia Police Force said in a statement that ‘it was reported a male swimmer had been bitten by a shark while swimming along the coast’.
The individual died as a result of the attack, police added without any further details.
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"It was like a scene from Jaws, where a body is flicked around like a ragdoll," beachgoer Darrel Haythornthwaite told 7 News Perth.
Authorities are yet to have found a body (YouTube/10 News)
He claims the man’s friend made it back to shore but ‘felt bad because he didn't go back to save his mate’.
"There’s nothing that anyone could have done," Haythornthwaite added.
Meanwhile, fellow witness Ingrid Michell told the outlet: "The shark took his friend from literally 15m off the shore, dragged him like at the rate of knots, out to in front of that buoy there and just mauled him in front of us."
Similarly, another onlooker told WA Today that she saw the shark ‘tossed him around like a fish’.
Sorrento Beach is located in Western Australia (LADbible/Google Maps)
"I'm a nurse, so I mean I obviously see a lot of gruesome stuff, but to see somebody being mauled to death in the water in front of me is pretty hard to clock," she said.
"I only live just down the road, and I swim every day. I mean, there's no way I'm going to be getting in that water again."
Jacqui Rapaic explained to national broadcaster ABC that when she looked out at the ocean, she ‘could see a pool of blood’.
The beach was closed after the incident, with authorities urging people to stay away from the area.
In a social media post, WA Premier Roger Cook said he was 'deeply saddened' to hear of the attack.
Emergency services responded to a ‘shark related incident’ at Sorrento Beach on Friday morning (YouTube/10 News)
"This is a heartbreaking tragedy and my thoughts are with the victim's family and loved ones, as well as the first responders who attended the scene," he said.
The Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development (DPIRD) is investigating the incident.
Australia has averaged between two and three fatal shark attacks a year since 2000, according to the Australian Shark Incident Database.
This is the second shark attack reported in Western Australia this week, after a surfer was left badly injured at Glenfield Beach, around 250 miles north of Perth, on 14 September.
According to ABC News, the man was rushed to hospital and reported to be in a serious but stable condition.
Following the incident, Fisheries Minister Jackie Jarvis said: "Western Australia has one of the most comprehensive shark hazard mitigation strategies in the country, using a range of measures to help keep people as safe as possible while they enjoy our coastline."
Featured Image Credit: 7NEWS Australia
Topics: Australia, Shark Attacks, Sharks