Fatal shark attack prompts rare hunt in Western Australia

On Friday, September 18, 2026, a 63-year-old swimmer identified as Greg O'Neil was killed in a shark attack off Sorrento Beach, located near Perth, Western Australia. The incident occurred around 10:30 a.m. while the victim was swimming with a companion. Witnesses reported seeing the man attacked by a shark estimated to be approximately 2.5 meters in length, describing the scene as traumatic due to the significant amount of blood visible in the water.

Following the attack, authorities launched extensive air and sea search operations, although the victim’s body had not been recovered as of Sunday. Beaches across the region were closed as a precaution. In a rare and controversial move, officials issued an order to locate and cull the shark, marking the first such mandate in Western Australia in a decade, despite the great white shark being a protected species.

This incident is the third fatal shark attack in the state this year and the second within the same week, following an earlier attack on a surfer. While the investigation remains ongoing, the state of Western Australia continues to grapple with the recent spike in such fatalities, which total five across the country so far in 2026.