Fatal Great White Shark Attack on Surfer in Western Australia

The victim was a father of two young children on his last day of leave before returning to work as a fly-in, fly-out miner, adding a poignant human dimension; additionally, the attack occurred in a remote, four-wheel-drive-only accessible location adjacent to year-round seal colonies, the surfboard was bitten in two, and the incident is well-documented with environmental and witness data.

On the morning of August 17, 2010, a fatal shark attack occurred near South Point, approximately 300 metres from shore in Cowaramup Bay, Western Australia. The victim, a 31-year-old male from Margaret River who worked as a fly-in, fly-out miner, was surfing alone during what was his last day of leave from the Goldfields. At approximately 08h15, the surfer was bitten by a great white shark estimated to be about 10 feet (3.05 metres) in length. Witness Mark Tomlinson observed unusual whitewater in an area where no wave was breaking and immediately recognized the attack was occurring. The victim managed to swim to nearby rocks where rescuers reached him. The attack resulted in severe trauma to the posterior right thigh with avulsed tissue and significant lacerations to the calf. First responders applied a leg-rope as a tourniquet to control blood loss and performed CPR after cardiac arrest. An ambulance arrived 30 minutes after the initial attack. The victim was transported to Margaret River hospital but was pronounced dead on arrival. Environmental conditions at the time included glassy, smooth sea conditions with a small swell. The area is known to be frequented by multiple shark species, including white sharks and bronze whalers, as well as seal colonies year-round. The remote location, accessible only by four-wheel-drive vehicles, may have contributed to response time. The surfer's board was broken in two during the attack.