Incident Report
Swimmer Severely Injured in Shark Attack at Port Hedland
Port Hedland, Western Australia·Australia
A man swimming in the Indian Ocean at Port Hedland, Western Australia, was attacked by an unidentified shark on the morning of December 15, 1917. He sustained severe lacerations to his left thigh and leg before residents drove the shark away.
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Why this is notable
The incident is recorded as the first shark attack on a human in the history of Port Hedland, giving it local historical significance as a documented 'first' for that location.
Incident Profile
Circumstances
Environmental
Individual
Location
Description
On Saturday, December 15, 1917, a shark attack occurred in the Indian Ocean at Port Hedland, Western Australia, marking a significant incident in the region's maritime history. The victim, identified as F. W. Dean of Nullagine, entered the water for an early morning swim around 5:00 AM. During his bathing, he was attacked by a shark whose species was not identified by witnesses or subsequent reports. The attack resulted in severe lacerations to Dean's left thigh and leg. His cries for assistance alerted nearby residents, who responded quickly to aid him. Their intervention proved critical, as they succeeded in driving the shark away from the victim. Dean was brought ashore in a serious condition, and contemporary accounts described his injuries as "dreadfully torn," placing him in what observers characterized as "a very precarious condition." The incident was particularly notable as the first recorded shark attack on a human being in Port Hedland's history, despite local reports that sharks had been unusually numerous in the area at that time. The attack occurred during a new moon phase on December 14, 1917. News of the incident was reported in The West Australian on December 17, 1917, and subsequently in the Western Argus on December 25, 1917, reflecting the significant public interest in this unprecedented local event.