Shark attack death: Girl, 16, dies after being mauled in WA

A teenage girl has tragically died after being mauled by a shark in Western Australia while swimming with dolphins.

The teen, 16, is believed to have been jet skiing with her friends when she spotted a pod of dolphins and dived into the Swan River in North Fremantle.

She was swimming with the dolphins when she was attacked by the shark – as her horrified friends watched on. 

Emergency services rushed to the scene and she was pulled out of the water with severe leg injuries. 

However, despite the attempts of several paramedics, the girl died of her injuries. 

WA Police said they received a triple zero call about 3.30pm and emergency services rushed to the scene

Police didn’t go into details about her injuries or what species of shark was involved in the attack. 

It is the first fatal shark attack in the Swan River in more than a century. 

WA Police said they received a triple zero call about 3.30pm and emergency services rushed to the scene. 

She was initially reported to be fighting for her life but has since passed away. 

Amid a string of reports, WA Police initially thought that she may have been injured by a boat propeller.

Fremantle District Acting Inspector Paul Robinson described the incident as ‘traumatic’.

‘It’s an extremely traumatic event for everyone involved and everyone who knew the young girl, so I won’t be going into the extent of the injuries.

She was initially reported to be fighting for her life but has since passed away 

Fremantle District Acting Inspector Paul Robinson described the incident as ‘traumatic’

‘It is unusual for a shark to be that far down the river … at this point in time an alert has been put out, a shark warning just to let people know this incident has taken place.

‘What we’ve been advised issues with friends on the river, they were on Jet Skis, there was possibly a pod of dolphins been seen nearby, and the young female jumped in the water to swim nearby the dolphins.’ 

They Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development on Saturday afternoon confirmed they were currently investigating a report of a ‘possible shark bite’ incident.

‘DPIRD is working with local authorities and further information will be provided as it becomes available,’ a spokesman said.

The only confirmed fatal attack in the Swan River was on January 31, 1923.

Then, 13-year-old Scotch College student Charles Robinson was killed after he was attacked while swimming six metres from shore at Freshwater Bay near his school’s boat shed.