Photo: Morne Hardenberg/Atlantic Edge
Doreen Collier, an Edith Cowan University lecturer, has been identified as the victim of the second fatal shark attack in Western Australian waters in just five days. Authorities are now on the hunt for the shark believed to be responsible for Collier’s death.
The 60-year-old woman from Perth was on a dive with her 43-year-old diving partner about a half mile off Mindarie Marina in northern Perth on Sunday when she was mauled by a shark, according to police. Western Australian Police Inspector Danny Mulligan said the woman’s dive partner “felt something go past him” in the water just before the attack.
“He didn’t see the shark at that stage, but he felt it better to surface,” Mulligan told 7 News Australia. “When he surfaced he saw a commotion in the water and then another boat arrived to pull him out of the water, and then it was noticed that the lady had suffered severe injuries.”
Doreen Collier, 60, was fatally attacked by a shark while diving in Perth on Sunday. Photo: ECU
The woman’s diving partner tried to pull her from the water following the attack, but Collier died before they made it to shore. Three fisherman who came to their rescue saw a large shark while they were helping the pair.
“The other boat that was in the water was five and a half meters (18 feet) long, and they say that the shark was longer than their boat,” Mulligan told 7 News.
The incident on Sunday occurred just five days after surfer Ben Gerring, 29, lost his leg in an attack two hours south at Falcon Beach. Soon after the attack, baited drum lines were put out in hopes of catching the shark that attacked Gerring. The following day, a 4.2-meter great white was caught, killed, and dragged out to sea. Unfortunately, Gerring died from his injuries a few days later—he leaves behind a pregnant wife.
After Ben Gerring was attacked, a 4.2 meter great white was caught and killed.
Western Australia’s fisheries department said if they caught the shark believed to be responsible for Doreen’s death, it would be shot. Officials have closed beaches and reset baited drum lines close to where Collier was attacked.
This is the first time two fatal shark attacks had occurred in Western Australian waters within such a short period of time, Fisheries metropolitan regional manager, Tony Cappelluti, said in a press release on Monday.
“From my recollection, we’ve had them maybe months apart, but never several days apart,” said Cappelluti. “If we catch a shark of the description and the type of shark that we believe may have been responsible – and like the Falcon incident, we believe it is a white shark of at least three metres in length … then it is highly likely we will take the decision to destroy it in the interest of public safety.”
“We have two methods,” continued Cappelluti. “We can either let it expire on the line or we can use a firearm. In this instance today, we’ll be using a firearm.”
The state government is constantly reviewing shark attack mitigation strategies, but there is only so much they can do to protect the public. The safest approach, Cappelluti said, was to use patrolled beaches.
“There’s no doubt, if you swim on the beaches and you swim in controlled areas through surf life saving clubs, you are safe. Yes, there’s probably improvements that we could make to have more information more readily available but people have to take some responsibility if they’re going to isolated surfing locations or diving off our coastline. The danger is always there.”
