Great white shark suspected in fatal attack at Perth's Sorrento Beach

A 63-year-old man, Greg O'Neill, died after being attacked by a suspected great white shark while swimming at Sorrento Beach in the northern suburbs of Perth on Friday. The incident occurred in front of other beachgoers, and police said they were confident the swimmer died as a result of the attack.

Witnesses described the scene as shocking. Ryan Rowe, a resident who arrived shortly after the attack, told a local newspaper that he was stunned by the amount of blood. Another beachgoer, Darrel Haythornthwaite, said he felt sympathy for O'Neill's companion and noted that the victim could not have been saved.

Australia's fisheries minister, Jackie Jarvis, said the circumstances justified a rare catch-and-kill request for the shark, citing the hazard it posed and the need to preserve coronial evidence. The minister added that the decision considered the exceptional nature of the incident.

O'Neill's family released a statement expressing shock and grief over his death, describing him as a devoted family member and avid swimmer. The attack marks the fifth fatal shark incident in Australia this year.

A separate shark bite earlier in the week injured a surfer's leg about 250 miles north of Perth.