Third fatal shark attack in a month hits Australia as spearfisher killed off WA coast
A 35-year-old spearfisher was killed by a roughly 4.5-metre shark, suspected to be a great white, near Michaelmas Island close to Albany in Western Australia. Authorities urged beach closures and caution in the area. It marks the third fatal shark attack in Australia within a month — following a death near Rottnest Island off Perth in mid-May and another at the Great Barrier Reef on 24 May — and one of several fatal incidents reported this year. Australia has historically averaged around three shark-related deaths annually, making this cluster notably high.
Why it matters
Recurrent fatal shark encounters fuel a long-running Australian policy debate over shark-mitigation measures such as nets, drumlines and culling versus conservation of protected species like great whites. The frequency this year may pressure state governments, particularly Western Australia, to revisit beach-safety strategy.