Fatal Incident
Fatal Great White Shark Attack at Cottesloe Beach, Perth
Cottesloe, Western Australia·Australia
A 49-year-old swimmer was fatally attacked by a 5-meter great white shark while returning to shore at Cottesloe Beach in Perth on November 6, 2000. The incident occurred in waist-deep water approximately 30 meters from shore during an early morning swim.
Please take a moment to consider the human impact of this event on the victim and their loved ones. The data presented here documents real events that affected real people and families.
Why this is notable
This well-documented case involved a large great white shark (~4.9 m) attacking two swimmers simultaneously in waist-deep water at a popular Perth beach, prompted lasting policy changes including regular shark-spotting flights along the Perth coast, and features a compelling human dimension: the victim was a known rescuer of drowning persons, a bystander entered the water to fight off the shark, and the second victim — himself injured — delivered the eulogy from a wheelchair at the funeral.
Incident Profile
Circumstances
Environmental
Individual
Location
Description
On the morning of November 6, 2000, a fatal shark attack occurred at Cottesloe Beach in Perth, Western Australia. A 49-year-old local businessman and member of an informal swimming group known as The Pod was attacked by a great white shark estimated at approximately 5 meters in length while returning to shore after his daily swim. The incident took place at 06h30 in waist-deep water, about 30 meters from shore, directly in front of the Cottesloe Surf Lifesaving Club. The victim and more than a dozen fellow swimmers were making their way back to the beach when a witness spotted the shark and alerted the group. As swimmers fled toward shore, the large shark attacked the victim, biting his torso and severing his leg high on the thigh, which resulted in a severed femoral artery. A second swimmer in the group was also attacked and sustained injuries to both feet during the encounter. A bystander entered the water to assist, and lifesavers used a wave-ski to retrieve the primary victim from the water. However, due to massive blood loss, resuscitation efforts on the beach were unsuccessful. The victim was pronounced dead at the scene. Following this incident, authorities implemented increased shark monitoring measures along the Perth coast, including regular aerial surveillance flights and enhanced beach patrols. Surf competitions were modified to include water-based shark spotters, and the public was advised to swim only at patrolled beaches and to avoid swimming during dawn and dusk hours.