A swimmer died in a shark attack at Sorrento Beach, north of Perth, on Friday, 18 September 2026. Police confirmed the man’s death to ABC News. Details of his identity and injuries were not initially released.
Report received around 10:15 am local time
Western Australia’s fisheries authority, DPIRD, said via SharkSmart that it had received a report of a possible shark incident involving a swimmer at around 10:15 am. This was the time the report was received, rather than a confirmed time of the attack to the exact minute.
Authorities coordinated the response with police and local agencies. Water Police and a DPIRD patrol boat were operating at sea, while a Surf Life Saving WA rescue helicopter monitored the area from the air.
Beaches closed from Marmion to Iluka
The City of Joondalup closed all beaches between beach emergency sign J210 near Marmion in the south and J37 near Iluka in the north. According to the notice issued on 18 September, the closure was initially due to remain in place until noon local time on Saturday, 19 September, followed by a reassessment.
City staff informed visitors about the closures on site. DPIRD directed people to SharkSmart alerts and the SharkSmart WA app for the latest information.
Shark species and size remain unconfirmed
The official notice does not identify the shark species or the animal’s length. It also gives no precise distance between the swimmer and the shore. Individual shark sightings nearby cannot be linked to the attack without further evidence.
A surfer had already been seriously injured at Glenfield Beach near Geraldton on 14 September. That was a separate incident on a different stretch of coast.