A spearfisher was killed in Australia’s third fatal shark attack in four weeks on Saturday. The 35-year-old man was attacked while spearfishing with family off Michaelmas Island near Albany, Western Australia, before noon local time. He was brought to Albany by boat but could not be revived.
Authorities suspect a 15-foot white shark caused the attack. Gregory Sharp, a commercial fisherman in the area, told Australian Broadcasting Corporation there has been an increase in shark activity recently, particularly chasing sardines and salmon along the coast.
This series of three fatalities is extraordinary for Australia, which typically averages around three shark deaths annually. The last fatality was on May 24 when Michael Jensz suffered fatal head injuries off the Great Barrier Reef. Bull sharks had been seen nearby.
A week earlier, on May 16, Steve Mattabonni, a 38-year-old spearfisher, was fatally mauled northwest of Albany near Rottnest Island. His friends tried to save him but could not resuscitate him after being bitten on the legs.
Mattaboni’s wife told Australian Broadcasting Corporation that he and his family were heartbroken. Australia’s only other fatal shark attack this year occurred in January when a 12-year-old boy died after being mauled by a bull shark in Sydney Harbor.
Australian scientists believe crowded waters and rising ocean temperatures are influencing sharks’ migratory patterns, potentially contributing to the rise in attacks. The International Shark Attack File has recorded over 1,280 shark incidents around Australia since 1791, including more than 250 fatalities.