Health
Breaking: Diver dies after bite by suspected 4.5m shark off Albany, WA
Key Points
Diver dies after attack by suspected 4.5m shark off Albany Sat 6 Jun 2026 at 3:18pm A male diver has died after he was bitten by a suspected 4.5-metre shark off the southern Western 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.
Diver dies after attack by suspected 4.5m shark off Albany
Sat 6 Jun 2026 at 3:18pm
A male diver has died after he was bitten by a suspected 4.5-metre shark off the southern Western 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.
"Sadly, he was unable to be revived.
"WA Police will prepare a report for the coroner."
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 past 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 on the day at Horseshoe Reef.
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Albany (LOCATION)
WA Diver (LOCATION)
Albany Sat 6 Jun 2026 (LOCATION)
Western Australian (ORG)
WA (LOCATION)
Michaelmas Island (LOCATION)
SJA (PERSON)
The Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development (ORG)
Perth (LOCATION)
DPIRD (PERSON)
Water Police (ORG)
Steven Mattaboni (PERSON)
Rottnest Island (LOCATION)
Mr Mattaboni (PERSON)
Horseshoe Reef (LOCATION)