This article was published on 18 September 2026 and updated on 6 October 2026.
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.
What the initial official notice left unanswered
The initial official notice of 18 September specified neither the species nor the shark’s length. The subsequent identification as a great white and the minister’s account of how it was identified are included in the update below. A reliable length measurement remains unavailable.
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.
Update of 19 September 2026
The victim has been identified as Greg O’Neill, 63. As ABC News reported on 19 September, Fisheries Minister Jackie Jarvis authorised the targeted capture and killing of the great white involved. Jarvis said Water Police had identified the shark after the attack before it swam away.
Jarvis cited the exceptional circumstances, the perceived hazard and the potential recovery of coronial evidence. She ruled out a widespread cull of great whites. Capture gear was deployed on Friday, but poor weather and rough water prevented its redeployment on Saturday. She also announced a review of safety measures, including more drones and a possible expansion of tagging.
According to the SharkSmart update issued at noon on 19 September, beaches between Marmion and Iluka remained closed. The next review was scheduled for noon local time on Sunday, 20 September. The reports consulted do not confirm that the shark has been caught or killed.
Update on 6 October 2026
The review of safety measures announced after the fatal attack has led to an additional funding package. According to the government announcement of 6 October, Western Australia will provide a further A$5 million for shark hazard mitigation, bringing the 2026/27 budget to A$12 million.
Surf Life Saving Western Australia will receive A$2.3 million for additional helicopter patrols. Another A$1.2 million will support beach and drone patrols at busy beaches. A$800,000 will enable the fisheries department to double its tagging efforts; A$500,000 will fund ten new Shark Monitoring Network receivers. A further A$200,000 will assess alternative drone technology and operational models.
Tagged sharks can trigger SharkSmart alerts when they pass the receivers. The extra funding is intended to complement existing measures; it does not yet demonstrate a measured reduction in attack risk. The new package provides no confirmation that the shark involved in the Sorrento attack was captured or killed.
