A 17-year-old girl has died following a shark attack near Esperance on the south-western coast of Western Australia.
The girl was surfing with her father at a surf break known as Kelp Beds when the attack took place at roughly 4pm local time.
@EsperancePol have grave concerns for 17yo girl after shark attack near Wylie Bay. Photos from the scene. @EspExpress #Esperance pic.twitter.com/WdrEuSzBvl
— Caitlyn Rintoul (@caitlynrintoul) April 17, 2017
She was treated by paramedics at the scene before being taken to Esperance Hospital in a critical condition where she died from her injuries, WA Police has confirmed.
“It is with sadness that WA Police confirm that the 17 year old teenage girl attacked by a shark has died from her injuries.” @abcnewsPerth
— Courtney Bembridge (@courtbembridge) April 17, 2017
Local surfer Tilo Massenbauer told ‘The Australian‘ that shark sightings hadn’t been particularly common in that location recently:
“There’s been the odd one, but nothing like there was a few years ago. It’s a little bit early.“They’ve had more run-ins at Margaret River, where they’ve had a lot of salmon.”
In 2014, a 23-year-old had an arm and a hand bitten off while surfing off the coast of Esperance.
Source: The Australian.
Photo: Twitter / Caitlyn Rintoul.
