AN AMERICAN man was killed in a shark attack while diving off Rottnest Island, Perth

[muha]

Man killed in shark attack at Rottnest Island | Herald Sun

The 32-year-old, believed to have been in Australia on a working holiday, was diving alone about 500m off Little Armstrong Bay on the island's north-west coast when the predator struck about 1.30pm.

Police said two people aboard a private 25ft Bertram boat made a desperate emergency call after seeing bubbles in the water, before the man's body surfaced a short time later with ``obvious traumatic fatal injuries''.

Passengers travelling back to Perth from Rottnest Island today spoke of their shock and disbelief over the latest fatal shark attack in WA waters.

Police spokesman Gerry Cassidy said witnesses on the boat told police they had seen the shark, which they described as a 3m white pointer.

[Tigerman]

And then the question is how accurate the news reports are, given their notorious lack of accuracy in such tragic incidents.
Wouldnt surprise me if we get to know that he was actually snorkling or svimming rather than diving..

Would a "white pointer" be whats also known as an oceanic white tip?

[DandyDon]

And then the question is how accurate the news reports are, given their notorious lack of accuracy in such tragic incidents.
Wouldnt surprise me if we get to know that he was actually snorkling or svimming rather than diving..

Would a "white pointer" be whats also known as an oceanic white tip?

We call them Great Whites, or The Landlord. From Great white shark - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The great white shark, scientific name Carcharodon carcharias, also known as the great white, white pointer, white shark, or white death, is a large lamniform shark found in coastal surface waters in all major oceans.

[Tigerman]

Well, same kinda badboy :p
Dont know what it is with australians and shark names, why not just call it a great white like everyone else? :p

[knowone]

http://www.google.com.au/url?sa=t&rc...vMtrIsPklWT3Mw

[ScubaBB]

No matter how you call the shark, it is still shocking. We all know that the changes of dieing by a shark attack are a lot smaller then dieing on the road to the dive-destination. But messages like this do have an impact.

[Tigerman]

Yeah, and the chance seems to be even smaller for divers than snorklers. It tends to be the ones fluttering around on the surface that gets attacked, due to the ways sharks generally see and hunt..

[Turtle-Diver]

Oh wow that's so sad. Unfortunately the news also does nothing for the view most non divers have of sharks

[WetPup]

And then the question is how accurate the news reports are, given their notorious lack of accuracy in such tragic incidents.
Wouldnt surprise me if we get to know that he was actually snorkling or svimming rather than diving..

Highly unlikely given the location of the attack. All reports suggest he was over on the island for the day with a couple of mates on their own boat in a location that you wouldn't venture to for anything but diving. Especially today, because the weather has been pretty terrible and not really suited to swimming or snorkelling. I'd say that part, at least, is likely to be accurate. The rest, well...

Just an update, the Dept of Fisheries has given a catch to kill order.

It's unfortunate, but this is the 2nd fatal shark attack in Perth in the last 2 weeks. The other was on a popular beach on the mainland. It's got people a bit paranoid, especially going in to the summer beach season.

[DandyDon]

Well, same kinda badboy :p
Dont know what it is with australians and shark names, why not just call it a great white like everyone else? :p

Australians in general have never shown an interest in adopting anything from America.

They do seem to lead the world in Great White attacks. This story says he was spearfishing...
US diver killed by shark off Rottnest