Teenage girl killed in shark attack in North Fremantle south of Perth identified as Stella Berry
The 16-year-old Perth girl who died after being mauled by a shark in the Swan River has been identified, as authorities reveal the type of shark they believe was responsible.
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The 16-year-old girl who died after being mauled by a shark while swimming in the Swan River in North Fremantle has been identified as Stella Berry.
Stella was a Year 11 student at Shenton College in Perth. In a statement to the Shenton College community released on Sunday by principal Michael Morgan, Stella was confirmed as the victim of the tragic attack.
She has a younger sister Mae in Year Nine at the school. Her parents are teachers at Scotch College and Methodist Ladies’ College, in Perth.
“I understand and respect that people respond to grief and loss in different ways, and that a loss such as this can trigger a broad range of emotional responses that are not always anticipated or evident,” Mr Morgan said.
He said the schools support team, including psychologists, chaplains, nurses and year leaders would be available to support students as needed.
“I have personally offered, on behalf of the college, our condolences and support to Stella’s family during this very sad time,” he said.
“As all of you will be aware it is vital that we respect the wishes of Stella’s family who have requested understanding and privacy during this difficult time. I am sharing this communication with the consent of the Berry family.”
Meanwhile, West Australian Fisheries Don Punch said it was too early to determine what type of shark was involved, but he has speculated a bull shark might be responsible.
He said the government would investigate the incident and determine whether anything could be done to reduce the risk of further attacks in the Swan River, ABC News reported.
“We do know that bull sharks, particularly, do enter estuaries and freshwater river systems, so it is likely that may be the case,” Mr Punch said.
It is believed the 16-year-old jumped into the river to swim with dolphins when she was attacked, police say.
The girl was in the water near the Fremantle Traffic Bridge around 3.30pm local time on Saturday when the incident occurred.
Paramedics were called to the scene but Western Australia Police confirmed the girl had died at the scene just before 6pm.
Fremantle detectives will prepare a report for the coroner, police said.
WA Police received a triple-0 call claiming she had been mauled at Doepel Street near Sorrell Park, and had sustained injuries to her leg.
Surf Life Saving WA also reported a shark sighting at around 3.40pm near the bridge.
She was pulled from the river and it is understood she had been jet skiing in the water with friends.
An eyewitness, Joshua Banks, 16, from Perth, told News Corp he was rope swinging near the where the attack occurred with about six friends.
He said he saw the girl and her friend get off their jet skis near the beach where there was a pod of dolphins nearby.
“Me and my mates Jacob and Harry saw them we actually watched them pass through the bridge as we [were] rope swinging,” Mr Banks said.
“They passed and we saw them get off the jet skis near the beach and jump off and swim to the shore quickly.”
Footage shot by Mr Banks also showed the scene where paramedics and police were assisting the girl. He described is as a “completely random attack”.
“We were completely unaware of this attack and had been swimming and jumping off for about an hour to 45 minutes.
“We are all grateful and aware it could’ve been us and are all shaken about what happened. “We like to thank a local for coming over and informing as the police that passed saw that we were swimming and did not inform us about the recent shark attack.”
According to The West Australian, Fremantle District Acting Inspector Paul Robinson said the incident as “traumatic” for witnesses involved.
“It’s an extremely traumatic event for everyone involved and obviously, anyone that knew the young girl,” he said.
“What we’ve been advised issues with friends on the river, they were on jet skis, there was possibly a pod of dolphins been seen nearby, and the young female jumped in the water to swim nearby the dolphins.”
The WA Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development is also investigating the incident.
It is not clear what type of shark was in the water.
Perth man Cameron Wrathall was the first person to be attacked by a shark in the Swan River in 2021 since the first attack occurred in 1968.
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