Western Australia Shark Cull Calls rise after diver dies off Michaelmas Island

Western Australia shark cull calls grew after a 35-year-old male diver died when a suspected 4.5m shark bit him off Michaelmas Island on Saturday. He had been spearfishing with family south-east of Perth. Paramedics could not revive him after he was brought ashore by boat.

Michaelmas Island attack

Police said the attack happened at 11:25 local time, or 03:25 GMT, and that they will prepare a report for the coroner. The diver had not been named. The Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development said it was assisting police and local authorities with the incident.

The department also urged residents to report any shark sightings. That request came after the death added to a second fatal attack in Western Australia in less than a month. Steven Mattaboni, 38, died after a separate attack at Horseshoe Reef, north-west of Rottnest Island near Perth, where a 4m shark was involved.

Steven Mattaboni

Mattaboni’s death had already sharpened attention on shark incidents around Perth, and Saturday’s attack pushed the issue back into view. The latest case involved a diver in open water near Michaelmas Island, while the earlier death happened at Horseshoe Reef. Both incidents left authorities facing the same practical task: documenting what happened and asking the public to report sightings quickly.

For people using waters near Perth, the immediate step is straightforward: follow the department’s reporting request and treat any shark sighting as information to pass on without delay. The coroner’s report will also become the formal record of Saturday’s death, including the sequence that began with the bite and ended on shore.