Man killed in Gracetown shark attack

Margaret River's Chris Boyd, originally from Queensland, was fatally attacked while surfing at a break called Umbilical's, next to Lefthanders.

A helicopter was used to remove the deceased man from the beach due to the terrain in the area.

The attack happened at about 9am.

Police received a call from a bystander at 9.17am, reporting a man had been attacked by a shark at the popular South-West holiday spot.

At 10.30am police spokesman Sam Dinnison confirmed that one man was deceased.

A young surfer from Perth told the Mail he was in the water when the attack happened and pulled the victim to shore soon after. He was shaken from the incident and said he would withhold further comments until the victim’s family has been contacted.

A bystander at the beach carpark said only two surfers were out at "Umbies" at the time but there were about 30 surfers overall in the area. Bystander Tom Jones said he was surfing further right of the location and had been warned by others to get out. 

“I was in the water and someone came out and said there was an ambulance and police, so we all decided to get out,” he said.

Another surfer said he couldn’t believe how long it took for the other surfers to be notified of the danger by emergency services and rescue authorities.

Friends and family of Chris Boyd have been paying tributes to their best friend, fellow boardrider, brother and - for his partner Krystle Westwood -"soul mate", via social media today. 

This is the third shark attack on WA’s coastline in three months, and the first fatal attack since July 2012. 

Gracetown is the site of three fatal shark attacks in the past 10 years.

Surfer Bradley Smith was taken by a great white at a beach near the town in 2004, and another surfer, father-of-two Nicholas Edwards, was killed by a shark at nearby South Point in 2010.

The Augusta Margaret River Shire and Department of Fisheries have closed local beaches including from Umbies, to South Point and onto Huzzas, North Point and the main Gracetown beach until further notice.

The shire requests all shark sightings and attacks are reported directly to the Water Police on 9442 8600. 

More to come.

Photos by Zannia Yakas.