Surfer attacked by ‘massive shark’ in chest-deep water near Esperance

Witnesses have told police a surfer was attacked by a “massive” shark in chest-deep water at a remote beach east of Esperance on Western Australia’s south coast.

WAtoday understands several people witnessed the attack at Wharton Beach in an incident that dragged on for minutes.

The man’s surfboard – which had bite marks on it – was found floating in the water, but the surfer remains missing.

Police received a call about a surfer in distress about 12.10pm on Monday.

“It is believed the surfer was the victim of a serious shark bite incident,” a police spokeswoman said.

Witness Joscelin Boissieux told 9News Perth there were screams as people warned others in the water about the shark.

“We heard the scream, and everyone got out of the water … there was only a surfboard left, floating around about 30 metres from the shore,” he said.

“The water next to it was dark, with a shark’s fin circling around.”

The partner of the surfer, believed to be in his 30s, was on the beach as the attack unfolded.

“She was shocked,” Boissieux said.

“My thoughts are with the family.”

Police, Marine Rescue WA and State Emergency Service personnel searched the ocean for the missing surfer, and will continue on Tuesday morning.

Ambulances rushed to the scene, about an hour’s drive east of Esperance.

The Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development confirmed it was investigating a “shark bite incident” at Duke of Orleans Bay after being alerted about 12.25pm.

A shark was spotted in the area 50 metres offshore about 12.15pm, according to a report to the monitoring website SharkSmart.

The last fatal shark attack in the region claimed the life of Andrew Sharpe, a local surfer who went missing off Kelp Beds – about 15 kilometres east of Esperance – in October 2020.

Witnesses saw the attack from shore and Sharpe’s surfboard later washed up on a nearby beach with bite marks on it.

Two pieces of Sharpe’s wetsuit were all that was found before the search effort was called off three days later. Sharpe’s body has never been found.

Esperance abalone diver and Bite Club member Marc Payne said the community had suffered considerably from recent fatal shark attacks and regular shark sightings.

“I wish the first responders and the person that’s been attacked all the best,” he said.

“We used to have a big diving and surfing community here, but we don’t have that any more.”

Three out of six of the last fatal shark attacks in WA have occurred in Esperance.