Witnesses spot huge shark at Port Beach as search continues for man feared taken

A 57-year-old man is feared dead after being attacked by a shark while swimming off Port Beach in Perth’s North Fremantle.

Witnesses said the incident occurred around 10am Saturday about 30 metres offshore.

Teenager Kaiden Boult, 16, said he was surfing near the rocks when he noticed a commotion break out among a group of boys on two boats who suddenly became frantic and started screaming.

“One of the kids came flying towards me on his boat screaming to get out,” he said.

The teen said he then saw a “huge shark” with its fin out of the water cruising towards him.

A sea and air search has since been launched to find the missing swimmer with the teenagers who witnessed the attack escorted onto a WA Police boat.

Emergency services search the water for a man feared taken by a shark at Port Beach in North Fremantle.Credit:Holly Thompson

As of 4.30pm, emergency crews were yet to locate the missing man.

WA Police Fremantle district acting inspector Troy Douglas said the 57-year-old was enjoying one of his regular swims at the beach when the teenagers in the nearby boat witnessed him be attacked.

“The boys were in a dinghy nearby, they witnessed the attack and as a result of that advised emergency services pretty much straight away and then have provided police with information in relation to what they saw and heard,” he said.

“[They were] quite close, they actually quite vividly saw what was going on in the water. They’ve watched it happen.”

WAtoday understands the teens saw the missing man being circled and then attacked by a shark.

The 9 News Perth helicopter spotted a large, four metre great white shark tracking south from the area shortly after the incident, however authorities are yet to confirm the species or size of the shark involved in the suspected attack.

Inspector Douglas said the missing man’s family were at the beach, but have since left and were gathered at a private residence.

“You’re always hopeful [we’ll find the man], and we’ll just support them as best we can,” he said.

Fisheries have closed popular beaches along the coast from North Mole to North Cottesloe for at least 24 hours.

Local woman Suzette Harding said she was about to enter the water when another beach-goer warned her not to go in.

“A lady actually stopped me and said, ‘You can’t go in, there’s been a shark sighting’,” she said.

“Then these wonderful young boys in tinnies (a small boat) came zooming down the beach and gesturing for everyone to get out of the water.

“You could tell that they weren’t mucking around, it was serious.

“You just think, that could have been anybody, it could have been any one of us, it’s a terrible, terrible tragedy.”

Witnesses have been praised for their “heroic” efforts.Credit:Kaiden Boult

Witness Simone Larazoo said she saw a distressed woman, who she was told was the missing man’s wife, pacing the shoreline before being led away by police into the nearby Surf Life Saving building.

“When I ran up initially to see if they needed a doctor, the man who dialled triple-0 pointed out to the water and it was definitely a shark’s fin ... 20 to 30 metres offshore,” she said.

WA Police acting inspector Emma Barnes said the search for the missing man was continuing.

“We’re coordinating a marine search in conjunction with Fisheries for a report of a male adult attacked by a shark,” she said.

“The actions of the witnesses were heroic and very brave ... for getting everyone else in the water out of the water and notifying everyone of what was happening.”

Water Police, Police Air Wing, Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development, Department of Transport, Surf Life Saving and the Surf Rescue helicopter are assisting in the search.

St John Ambulance are at the scene. Paramedics are yet to treat anyone, but remain on standby.

In recent days, the Surf Life Saving Westpac helicopter has reported two shark sighting south of Port Beach. A 2.5 metre shark was spotted 200 metres off South Beach heading north on Wednesday. Another 2.5 metre shark was also spotted 300 metes off a similar stretch of coast the previous day.

The urgent search comes 21 years to the day when swimmer Ken Crew was fatally attacked by a white shark in waist-deep water at neighbouring beach, Cottesloe.

Since the fatal attack, at least 16 more fatal shark incidents have occurred off WA’s coast in the past two decades.

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