Shark Attack Survivors News Archive

Diver killed by shark off Busselton in Western Australia

A MAN killed by a shark off Western Australia's southwest coast was diving with his brother, police say.

The man was diving about 200m off Stratham Beach in Geographe Bay about 230km southwest of Perth, when he was attacked just before 9.30am (WST) today.

A police spokeswoman said it was believed the man was diving with his brother, who was not harmed.

The body has been taken south to Port Geographe Marina in Busselton.

Beaches in the area have been closed following the attack.

Experts from the Department of Fisheries have launched an investigation, which will include an examination of bite marks on the man's body to determine what species of shark was involved in the attack.

An aerial patrol was to be sent out to try to determine if the shark was still in the area.

Today's attack is the fourth fatal shark attack off the WA coast since September last year.

Recent shark attacks in WA

Saturday, 22 October 2011: American George Thomas Wainwright, 32, died after an attack while scuba diving off Rottnest Island

Monday, 10 October 2011: Bryn Martin was likely taken by great white shark after he was last seen about 350m from the shore as he headed out to sea on his daily swim in front of the Indiana tea house.

Sunday, 4 September 2011: Kyle James Burden is killed while bodyboarding with friends at Bunker Bay, near Dunsborough.

Tuesday, 17 August 2010: Nick Edwards died after a shark attacked him while he was surfing near Gracetown.

Saturday, 27 December 2008: Fisherman Brian Guest is taken by a great white while snorkelling at Port Kennedy.

Saturday, 19 March 2005: Geoffrey Brazier is attacked by a 6m shark, believed to be a great white, as he snorkelled near the Abrolhos Islands, off Geraldton.

Saturday, 10 July 2004: Brad Smith attacked by a great white as he surfed near Gracetown.

Monday 6 November 2000: Swimmer Ken Crew is killed by a great white off Cottesloe.

Monday 20 January 1997: Windsurfer Werner Schonhofer is likely killed by a tiger shark in Geraldton.

Monday 11 September 1995: Abalone diver David Weir killed near Hopetoun in the South-West.

Sunday 21 November, 1993: Pearl diver Richard Bisley killed by a tiger shark off Roebuck Bay, Broome.

http://www.news.com.au/

Family of Western Australian shark attack victim Peter Kurmann release statement

Lloyd Jones
AAP
March 31, 2012 6:34PM

THE brother of a 33-year-old diver killed by a shark off Western Australia's southwest coast reported seeing a "dark, shark-like shape'' in the water at the time of the attack.

Peter Kurmann, a businessman and father of two young sons, was diving from a boat called Vampire about 1.6km off Stratham Beach, 230km south of Perth, when a shark about four metres long attacked just before 9.30am today.

The mauled body of the man was recovered from the water by his 34-year-old brother Gian, assisted by the crew of a nearby boat, and taken south to Busselton.

Mr Kurmann was the husband of local councillor Debra Kurmann and lived at Vasse near Busselton.

All beaches in Geographe Bay between Bunbury and Cape Naturaliste were closed following the attack and volunteer rescue boats were on the water advising boat users in the area not to go into the water.

In a brief statement on Saturday, Gian Kurmann asked that the media respect the family's privacy following his brother's death.

"Today our family has suffered a terrible loss. We have lost a son, a brother, a husband and a wonderful father.

"Words cannot express how we feel at this time, we are in mourning and wish you to respect our privacy.''

Department of Fisheries regional manager Tony Cappelluti told AAP that Gian Kurmann reported seeing "a four-metre, dark, shark-like shape'' in the water but he couldn't identify it.

"We are not speculating about the species at all,'' Mr Cappelluti said.

Shark experts from the department would examine the body if requested by police to try to determine the species, he said.

Mr Cappelluti said a fisheries vessel equipped with shark capture gear was being sent from Bunbury to the scene of the attack.

He said an aerial surveillance team had been sent up and had sighted what might have been a shark in the area.

The waters off Stratham Beach are popular with divers for its reef and crayfish.

Saturday's attack is the fourth fatal shark attack off the WA coast since September last year.

George Thomas Wainwright, a 32-year-old Texan, died when he was mauled by a great white shark while diving off Perth's Rottnest Island on October 22.

Bryn Martin, 64, died after being attacked by a shark while swimming at Perth's Cottesloe beach earlier in October.

Bodyboarder Kyle Burden, 21, was killed by a shark near Bunker Bay in WA's southwest in September.

Tour operator David Pickering, 26, was mauled by a tiger shark while snorkelling off Coral Bay, in the state's northwest, on January 19.

He escaped with only minor injuries.

Following the three fatalities in September and October last year, WA Fisheries Minister Norman Moore announced nearly $14 million in funding to reduce the risk of shark attacks.

That included $2 million over five years to establish a Shark Response Unit, $2 million for boosted aerial beach patrols and $1.7 million for four shark-related research projects.

http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/