Diver dies after attack by suspected 4.5m shark off Albany

Warning: This story contains images that some readers may find distressing. 

A male diver has died after he was bitten by a suspected 4.5-metre shark off the southern West Australian coast, WA police have confirmed. 

The 35-year-old man was taken by boat to shore after emergency services responded to reports of a shark attack at 11:25am, local time, on Saturday. 

The man was spearfishing with family off Michaelmas Island, near Albany, when he was attacked, according to police. 

"He was conveyed back to shore by boat where he was met by SJA [St John Ambulance] WA paramedics," WA police said in a statement. 

"WA Police will prepare a report for the coroner."

Albany local Grant Cavanagh said he was surprised to hear about the attack.

"Because we don't really get that many shark attacks down here," he said.

But Mr Cavanagh said he did not believe it would scare people out of the water.

"Just like motor cars, someone gets killed in a car accident, you don't stop driving. Same principle," he said.

Commercial fisherman Gregory Sharp said there had been an increase in shark activity in the area in recent weeks.

"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," he said.

"[And] particularly in areas where there's a lot of seals, and the island area in King George Sound is renowned for seals."

But the expectation of more sharks has done little to quell the shock of the community.

"It's not the sort of thing that happens every day of the week … everybody's stunned at what's actually happened," Mr Sharp said.

'A tragedy'

WA Premier Roger Cook said he was "deeply saddened to hear of this morning's fatal shark attack".

"This is a tragedy and my thoughts are with the victim's family and friends, as well as the first responders."

The Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development (DPIRD) said it was assisting WA Police and local authorities with the serious shark incident. 

Michaelmas Island is about 13 kilometres from the nearest stretch of Albany coastline and about a five-hour drive from Perth. 

DPIRD has urged people in the area to report to Water Police on 9442 8600 if they see a shark.

Second fatal shark attack in four weeks

This is the second fatal shark attack in WA in the past four weeks. 

On May 16, a 38-year-old Perth man, Steven Mattaboni, was killed in a shark attack when he was spearfishing with three friends off Rottnest Island. 

Mr Mattaboni was bitten on the legs by a four-metre shark just before 10am that day at Horseshoe Reef.