Shark Attacks and Shark Attack Related Incidents News Articles on Shark Bites

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Shark sightings in fatal attack area

By Warwick Stanley

December 27, 2008 09:13pm

SEARCHERS reported at least two shark sightings in an area where a missing West Australian man is believed to have been attacked.

The crew of a sea volunteer rescue boat and a helicopter rescue team had both sent back reports of a large shark in Warnbro Sound Bay, off Rockingham, south of Perth, said one of the search coordinators, Sergeant Michael Wear.

Brian Guest, 51, is feared to have been taken by a shark at Cote D'Azure Gardens, about 8km south of Rockingham, while snorkelling with his 24-year-old son at about 7am on Saturday.

The father of three was a local resident who worked in the banking industry and was an avid diver and fisherman, family spokesman and police officer Steve Kent said.

Sgt Wear said the shark sightings were made while divers, up to nine boats, three helicopters and a surf life saving response team on jet skis were looking for Mr Guest.

He said the search area had been covered up to four times on Saturday in an area 50km out to sea, to the edge of a reef that runs along the coast.

Parts of a wetsuit worn by Mr Guest had been found near the scene of the attack, he said.

"There were the two reports of a big shark that came back to us. Whether it was the same shark they saw and whether it was the shark that attacked Mr Guest, who knows?" Sgt Wear said.

He said the search had been scaled back to about five boats late today and would be called off tonight if there were no sightings, before being resumed at about 7am (WST) on Sunday.

He said it was "a sad" situation that did not offer much hope for Mr Guest's family.

Sgt Wear said Mr Guest's son had seen his father taken by the shark.

"The gentleman and his son went snorkelling and weren't that far from the water's edge," Sgt Wear said.

"He has heard his dad yell out. He turned around and has actually seen the shark and has seen a heap of blood in the water.

"He immediately got to shore and raised the alarm."

http://www.news.com.au/adelaidenow/stor ... 60,00.html

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Shark attack victim still not found

December 27, 2008

# Father missing after reported shark attack
# Son swam to shore and raised the alarm

THE search for a man feared taken by a shark off a West Australian beach has so far failed to find him.

Brian Guest, 51, was snorkelling for crabs with his son off their local beach near Rockingham, south of Perth, when he suddenly disappeared from view shortly after 7am (WDT) on Saturday.

His 24-year-old son Daniel, swam to shore and raised the alarm.

Witnesses told police they saw flashes of fins in the area and the water was coloured by blood.

"Something very traumatic and pretty violent has happened there and we are treating it as a probable shark attack," acting Inspector Mark Valentine said.

"There was lots of talk among witnesses at the incident location about seeing fins in the water but we can't yet say whether there was definitely a shark out there, though in all probability that's what it is."

The beach was immediately closed as police, marine rescue patrols and three helicopters mounted a huge search for the missing man.

The 10km beach is a popular swimming location and there were many people out because of the early morning warm weather conditions, Insp Valentine said.

Witness, local resident Luke Tubbs, said the son was in shock on the beach.

"He was on the beach shaking and looked really white and he was just really shocked," Mr Tubbs said.

The three emergency service aircraft, 10 boats and divers conducting a grid search by late Saturday afternoon had found nothing.

Family spokesman and police officer Steve Kent said Mr Guest was a devoted husband and father who knew the dangers of swimming in the ocean.

"(He's) an avid fisherman, an avid diver and a loving husband and father," Sergeant Kent said.

"His son and he were out in the water, which he had done quite regularly. Unfortunately, this morning there was a shark in the water and it's taken the father.

"At the time his son didn't actually sight what had happened but there were some people on the beach that saw and heard some things in the water.

"His son ran from the beach to his nearby home and that's when they called police and went down to try to find the father in the ocean."

Sgt Kent said the 51-year-old, who worked in the banking industry, knew the ocean's dangers and had spent "many, many years diving and fishing and (has) a very deep respect for the water and he knows the dangers of being in the water".

Asked if the family wanted the shark hunted and killed, Mr Kent said: "No, no, definitely not."

"It's nature and we should pay respects to nature and nature's way.

"It is a shock loss to family and friends. He's a loving father and husband that appears to have been taken by a shark.

"We ask that people respect that there is a need for time for grieving and for time and for chances and hopefully, at least, that the husband will be recovered in the near future.

"They've got a lot of family and friends around them and wish and hope they be given the time.
"It's something you don't expect and don't wish to happen to anybody."

It's the second fatal shark attack this year.

In April, 16-year-old surfer Peter Edmonds died after being attacked by a shark at Ballina, on the New South Wales north coast.

Meanwhile, a kayaker was tipped into the water off Sydney's northern beaches while a white pointer circled today.

Nearby fishermen hauled the man into their boat and out of harm's way, and another two kayakers clung alongside as the five-metre shark continued to circle off Long Reef.
http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/s ... 77,00.html

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Swimmer missing amid fears of shark attack

Claire Kelly
December 27, 2008 - 11:00AM


The search for a suspected shark attack victim is continuing off Port Kennedy beach this morning.

The man, believed to be aged in his 50s, was reportedly swimming with his son about 6.30am this morning when he went missing.

Channel Seven reporter Grant Taylor told 6PR radio the man's son raced out of the shallow waters near Cote D'Azure Gardens and alerted nearby households to the attack.

Helicopters are tracking a shark in shallow waters and part of a wetsuit has been found by rescue crews.

Western Australian police said helicopters, sea rescue, police resources and rangers are continuing to search for the missing man.

Police are patrolling the beach and urging swimmers to stay out of the water.

Taylor said a crowd of about 100 people are at the beach watching the emergency operation.

Police spokesman Mark Valentine said witnesses had reported seeing "something pretty violent" happening in the water and there was blood also colouring the water.

"Something very traumatic has happened there and we are treating it as a probable shark attack," Mr Valentine told AAP.

"There was lots of talk among witnesses at the incident location about seeing fins in the water but we can't yet say whether there was definitely a shark out there."

The beach is a popular swimming location and there were many people out because of warm weather conditions, Mr Valentine said.

Police, marine rescue patrols, a rescue helicopter and volunteers on quad bikes were patrolling the beach and scanning the waters for any signs of the missing swimmer.

No details about the man or his son were available.

http://www.smh.com.au/news/national/man ... 70502.html

Shark victim died instantly: Coroner

2009/04/03

The State Coroner has found a 51-year-old man died almost instantly when he was attacked by a shark at Warnbro Sound, south of Perth, last year.

Brian Guest was diving for crabs with his son when the shark attacked in December.

His body was never recovered.

Today, Coroner Alastair Hope said he was satisfied that the death occurred almost instantly.

Outside the court, his son Daniel Guest welcomed the finding.

"It helps us close a lot of doors that need to be closed and it opens up a lot of avenues that we couldn't do before," he said.

The WA Coroner has found a 51-year-old Brian Guest died almost instantly when he was attacked by a shark at Warnbro Sound, south of Perth, last year.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2009 ... 534512.htm

Shark spotted with the body of a man in its jaws as witnesses look on in horror

By Richard Shears
Last updated at 3:21 PM on 27th December 2008


A huge shark - believed to be a great white - rolled over in the water with the body of a man in its jaws in a horror scene described by witnesses.
Bank officer Brian Guest, 51, was grabbed by the shark as he was snorkelling for crabs with his 24-year-old son Daniel off the coast of Western Australia today when the feared monster of the deep struck.

The water turned red with blood as the shark carried the father of three away after the attack, just 25 feet from the beach at Port Kennedy, 20 miles south of the State capital, Perth.

Witnesses on the beach told of seeing a 'flash of fin' but local man Luke Tubbs, who lives near the beach, described a horrific scene in which the shark could be seen with Mr Guest's body in its jaws.

While he did not witness the event personally, he said it had been described to him by another man who had run to his home to raise the alarm.

'He told me he just saw a big splash and then the shark roll over in the water with the guy - and then (he saw) no body or anything.'

Police, emergency services and volunteers search the coastline for any sign of Mr Guest, but his body had not been found several hours after the terrifying attack.
great white

Jaws of death: A great white is thought to have attacked Brian Guest

Mr Guest's son was swimming some 20 feet from his father when the shark struck and while Daniel is understood not to have witnessed the actual attack, he realised his father was in trouble when he saw the water turn red with blood.

He swam quickly to the beach, shouting for help. Rescuers later reported they had found parts of a wetsuit believed to belong to the missing man, as warnings went out to beachgoers to stay out of the water.

There have been reports of a large shark swimming in waters near Rockingham in recent days but it is not known if it was responsible for attacking Mr Guest.

There has been a surge in shark sightings around Australian beaches, with a South Australian surf life-saving organisation reporting that its aerial patrol had spotted sharks 39 times so far this summer - the same number for the entire summer last year.

Even Sydney's famous Bondi beach has not escaped a 'visit' from the most feared creature in the sea. A shark's fins being spotted close to the beach resulted in more than 1,000 people being urged by loudspeaker to get out of the water.

Shark experts believe the increase in numbers can be attributed to many more fish being available for the sharks to follow for food.

'Increased sightings obviously lead to the possibility of an increase in attacks, said Andrew Fox, son of Rodney Fox who survived a terrifying great white attack decades ago.

Even people who stand waist-deep in water are not safe from an attack - a few years ago a Western Australian man was attacked when he was wading back into the beach. He died from blood loss on the sands.

Today's attack came shortly after 7am - and the early hours of the morning are often considered a dangerous time for swimming during 'shark season' , Australia's summer months.

'We heard shouting from the shore as others realised that something was happening out there,' said a young woman who had arrived at the beach for an early morning swim.

'There was a flash of a fin and then the water seemed to go red with blood. It had all the appearances of a shark attack.'

Police spokesman Mark Valentine said witnesses had reported seeing 'something pretty violent' happening in the water - and had also seen blood in the water.

'Something very traumatic has happened there and we are treating it as a probably shark attack,' said Mr Valentine.

'There was lots of talk among witnesses at the incident location about seeing fins in the water, but we can't yet say whether there was definitely a shark out there.'

Mr Guest and his son snorkelled together about three times a week off the same beach.

'Daniel is still in great shock,' said a family member. 'You cannot even imagine what he is going through at this moment.'

The family has insisted, however, that they do not want the shark to be hunted and killed.

'The family says that we are in their environment when we go into the water and we have to pay respect for that,' said police Sgt Steve Kent.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article ... orror.html

Shark victim doing what he wanted before attack

* Claire Kelly
* December 28, 2008 - 8:52AM

Brian Guest during one of his beloved fishing trips.
The man believed to have been killed by a shark south of Perth yesterday made a pact with his wife that if he was killed by a shark then "so be it".

Brian Guest, 51, loved the ocean and was an avid fisherman and diver for about 40 years.

"I have always had an understanding with my wife that if a shark or ocean accident caused my death then so be it, at least it was doing what I wanted," Mr Guest wrote on the Western Angler website forum in 2004.

"Every surfer, fisherman and diver has far more chance of being killed by bees, drunk drivers, teenage car thieves and lightning," he wrote.

"Every death is a tragedy - regardless of the cause - but we have no greater claim to use of this earth than any of the other creatures [we] share it with."

Mr Kent said yesterday his friend would not want the shark that attacked him hunted and killed.

"He spent many years in the water - he has a deep respect for it," he said.

Debate in 2003 about whether sharks should be shot when they got too close to WA beaches sparked Mr Guest to voice his disagreement with the idea on the site and campaign against it to then Opposition Leader Colin Barnett.

"Yes it is tragic when something like the Cottesloe death [of shark victim Ken Crew] happens but it is part of life and we have to accept it as such," he wrote.

"Our place on earth is not so sacred that we remove every threat that exists."

The search for Mr Guest resumed at 8am this morning with three rescue boats.

Police said a piece of wetsuit had been found yesterday but confirmation it was Mr Guest's was still needed.

http://www.watoday.com.au/wa-news/shark ... -761o.html

30km south of Perth, early today after reports that a snorkeller had been taken by a shark. something pretty violent'' happening in the water and there was blood also colouring the water.



Reports of shark attack at Port Kennedy

Nick Taylor, Nicole Cox and Anthony Deceglie

December 27, 2008 08:00am

BREAKING NEWS: AN air and sea search was launched off Port Kennedy, 30km south of Perth, early today after reports that a snorkeller had been taken by a shark.
Witnesses who saw the the man in trouble off the dog beach near Cote D'Azur Gardens, Port Kennedy believe he was attacked at about 7.15am.

It is understood that a father and son were swimming when the incident happened. The son swam safely to shore to raise the alarm but his father is still missing at sea.

The RAC rescue helicopter, Water Police and Fremantle Sea Rescue boats were searching the ocean as family members of the man, who is believed to be from the Port Kennedy area, huddled on the beach for comfort.

Family spokesman Steve Cant said Daniel (the missing man's son) did not want to talk about the attack.

"We know that a shark was involved and the incident happened around 7.05," he said.

Mr Cant said the family was in the process of letting relatives know about the tragedy.

Police spokesman Mark Valentine said witnesses had reported seeing ``something pretty violent'' happening in the water and there was blood also colouring the water.

``Something very traumatic has happened there and we are treating it as a probable shark attack,'' Mr Valentine told AAP.

``There was lots of talk among witnesses at the incident location about seeing fins in the water but we can't yet say whether there was definitely a shark out there.''

The beach is a popular swimming location and there were many people out because of warm weather conditions, Mr Valentine said.

Police, marine rescue patrols, a rescue helicopter and volunteers on quad bikes were patrolling the beach and scanning the waters for any signs of the missing swimmer.

About two dozen other beach users, joggers and walkers were also watching the drama unfold.

http://www.news.com.au/perthnow/story/0 ... 48,00.html