A man was badly mauled by a shark at Geordie Bay on Rottnest Island on Tuesday morning, leaving him in critical condition after emergency services were scrambled just before 10am.
WA Police said it was advised of a possible shark attack off Geordie Bay at 9.55am. A Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development alert had come in a minute earlier, at 9.54am, and an RAC Rescue helicopter was sent to the scene as response crews moved in.
Police said the male victim is believed to have been bitten by a shark and is being conveyed by boat to shore, where he will be met by St John WA paramedics. The man is understood to be in his 30s.
DPIRD said it is working with local authorities and urged people on the island to take additional caution in the Geordie Bay area. Geordie Bay is a popular holiday spot on Rottnest Island, which draws visitors year-round and can fill quickly when the weather is good.
The sequence leaves little doubt about the seriousness of the attack. The man’s condition is critical, and the speed of the response shows how quickly a quiet morning on the island turned into a major emergency.
