SYDNEY: A man in his thirties was in a "critical" condition Saturday (May 16) after being attacked by a shark in western Australia, rescue services said.
The incident took place after 10:00 am (0200 GMT) off Rottnest Island near the city of Perth, a spokesperson for St John Ambulance Western Australia said.
"The rescue helicopter is on scene, along with police and island emergency services," they added.
There have been nearly 1,300 shark incidents around Australia since 1791, of which more than 260 resulted in death, according to a database of the predators' encounters with humans.
The most recent fatality was a 12-year-old boy who died after being attacked by a shark in Sydney Harbour in January.
That attack was one of four recorded in the span of two days, which prompted officials to close dozens of the city's beaches.
It was the city's third recent shark-related death.
Australian scientists believe increasingly crowded waters and rising ocean temperatures are swaying sharks' migratory patterns, which may be contributing to a rise in attacks. - AFP
