A 63-year-old man, identified as Greg O'Neill, was reportedly killed in a shark attack while swimming at Sorrento Beach in the northern suburbs of Perth in Western Australia on Friday.
Eyewitnesses described the scene as horrific, with one witness, Ryan Rowe, stating that he couldn't believe the amount of blood that had come out of O'Neill's body. O'Neill was swimming with a friend at the time of the attack, which occurred in front of a group of horrified beachgoers.
The Australian fisheries minister, Jackie Jarvis, has called for a catch-and-kill of the great white shark involved in the attack, citing the exceptional circumstances of the incident and the potential for coronial evidence to be recovered. The great white shark is a protected species in Australia, but Jarvis has made an exception in this case.
O'Neill's death is the fifth fatal shark attack in Australia this year, and has been met with shock and sadness from the community. A family statement described O'Neill as a "generous, devoted family man" who loved the ocean and was a passionate swimmer.
The incident is still under investigation, and police have confirmed that they are confident O'Neill died as a result of the shark attack.
NTC Report coverage is based on reporting from the original publisher.
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