Second shark attack at popular WA surf spot

The first man attacked by a shark in WA on Monday once wrote ‘I’d rather be taken by a great white than a drunk redneck on a V8’.

Mick Fanning shortly before being attacked by a shark. Picture: AFP

A second person has been attacked by a shark at a beach about 700m from this morning’s attack. The man has been treated by ambulance officers and is believed to have cuts to his leg. His injuries are not life threatening.

Witnesses have told The Australian that Department of Fisheries officers ordered a group of about 10 surfers to get out of the water due to shark sightings in the area.

All of the surfers left the water except for the man who was bitten.

BREAKING: Second shark attack today in Gracetown. A surfer is being treated for his injuries. pic.twitter.com/tcftILngr1

— Andrew Burrell (@AndrewBurrell7) April 16, 2018

It was also revealed that two-time defending world surfing champion, Hawaii’s John John Florence had spotted a pair of large sharks after free-surfing off the southern WA coast in preparation for the Margaret River Pro.

Florence posted the footage of the sharks to his Instagram page.

“Whoa boys see something,” Florence is heard saying, while reviewing film of their practice.

“We put up the Shark Watch Drone. We are up in the air. Looking for a splash we just saw.

“Holy sch--kies.

“He is in the friggin murk.

“That thing looks pretty big. Look how smooth they are in the water.”

‘Like Mick Fanning moment’

Witnesses said 37-year-old Alejandro Travaglini’s life was probably saved by fellow surfers who applied a tourniquet to his leg minutes after he was bitten by the shark at Cobblestones Beach at Gracetown, 20km from Margaret River, just before 8am.

Mr Travaglini, a local resident, was flown to Royal Perth Hospital where he underwent surgery.

In a twist to the story Mr Travaglin’s Facebook account reveals he was a strong critic of the former Barnett government’s controversial shark cull program.

“One man, in one state, has decided that he’s going to be a strong man and kill sharks,” he wrote of then premier Colin Barnett in February 2014. “And they’re not even his, they’re in Australian waters and they belong to everyone.”

In another Facebook post he wrote: “I’d rather be taken by a great white than by a drunk redneck on a V8.”

The victim was conscious when he was flown to Royal Perth Hospital. Surf photographer Peter Jovic saw the attack from the beach and said there were only about five people in the water at the time.

“If anyone is familiar with the Mick Fanning moment at Jeffreys Bay a couple of years ago, it was very similar to that, where a shark pretty much popped up and ended up knocking a surfer off his board,” Mr Jovic told ABC radio. “There was a lot more thrashing around after that, it was pretty hard to see what was going on.

“The surfer who was being attacked ended up miraculously body surfing into a little wave and getting pushed in by a local at the same time, who was out there with him, and making it to shore before everyone came to his aid.” Mr Jovic said everyone was “walking around like stunned mullets” after the attack.

Surf Life Saving WA said a four-metre shark and whale carcass were spotted at 10am at Lefthanders.

Beach closures are in place for the Gracetown area, including North Point, Big Rock and Lefthanders.

The Margaret River Pro surfing competition has resumed after being temporarily suspended earlier today.

“Surfer and staff safety are top priorities for the World Surf League,” a spokeswoman said.

“Further enhanced safety measures, including ski and drone presence, will be added to the event’s mitigation protocols.”

Chris Boyd, 35, was killed at nearby Umbies surf break in 2013. Nick Edwards, 31, also died after a shark attack while surfing at nearby South Point in 2010.

With AAP