A man in his 20s has been taken to hospital in Esperance, after he lost part of both arms in a shark attack at Wylie Bay on Western Australia's south coast.
Police have confirmed the man - who is believed to have been surfing with his girlfriend - was attacked by a shark and sustained serious injuries at Wylie Bay, which is a few kilometres east of the centre of Esperance.
A spokesman for St John Ambulance said the attack happened about 11am on Thursday and advised the man had been bitten on both of his arms.
The person who called the ambulance said the man had lost a hand and his other arm from the elbow, as well as having lacerations to a leg.
The Royal Flying Doctor Service has confirmed the man lost both arms.
#WA man has lost both arms after
#shark attack at
#Esperance Beach.
#FlyingDoctor are evacuating patient to Perth for treatment. — Royal Flying Doctor (@RoyalFlyingDoc)
October 2, 2014
A spokeswoman for RFDS told Fairfax Media a plane had been sent to Esperance to fly the man to Perth for further treatment.
The plane is expected to arrive in Esperance after 2pm.
A spokeswoman for the Fisheries Department said "equipment" had been deployed in the area an effort to catch the shark.
She said it was not known what type of shark it was.
Esperance Express journalist Molly Baxter said it was believed the victim was 23.
She said rangers had since closed the beach, which was usually for access by four-wheel-drives only.
Baxter also said there were reports of a shark in the area during the past fortnight.
Police have said the victim's family is from the South West town of Bunbury.
The West Australia government has implemented a number of programs throughout the state in an attempt to mitigate the risk of shark attacks following seven fatal attacks across a three-year period since 2010.
Last summer, baited hooks on drum lines were deployed off Perth beaches and others in the state's south-west but none as far as Esperance, which is more than eight hours' drive south-east of Perth.
Drum lines will not be deployed this summer after the Environmental Protection Authority ruled against their use on environmental grounds.
Other shark incidents in the area
In October 2013, abalone diver Greg Pickering was badly injured when a shark bit his head while he was diving 180 kilometres east of Esperance.
In 2006, 15-year-old Zac Golebiowski lost a leg in a shark attack at Wharton Beach, 60 kilometres from Esperance.
Close encounter
Last month an Esperance surfer spoke about his close encounter with a three-metre shark at a beach to the west of the town.
Andy Johnston told the Esperance Express he did not rush out of the water like others when those on the beach beeped car horns to warn of a shark in the water on September 21.
"I'd rather try to hold my ground against it and not freak out and make a commotion," he said.
"It seemed just curious and I didn't want to give it a reason to chase me so I tried to behave casually and keep an eye on it.
"But I didn't know it came up quite so close as I was paddling into the wave to come into the beach with the other lads."
Fisheries advise: white shark sighted 50m offshore Wylie Bay, Esperance at 1700. Reported 2050. — Surf Life Saving WA (@SLSWA)
September 20, 2014
Mr Johnston got out of the water briefly before returning to surf the break alone.
"It wasn't that big, it looked smaller than a dolphin," he said.
"If you're going to say a shark is a threat every time you see one, well that's not true.
"They're doing their thing and we're doing our thing.
"If you're going to get chomped then you're going to get chomped - there's nothing you can do about it."
Great White
#Shark spotted off Esperance last month, close to where man was attacked today.
@9NewsPerth
#9newscomau
pic.twitter.com/iEUijEuIT4 — Matt Tinney (@Matt_Tinney)
October 2, 2014
Mr Johnston said he had heard criticism implying his behaviour was irresponsible as there were so many people watching the incident.
He said he understood in retrospect that if things had gone badly it would have been traumatic for people on the beach.
"I was focused on what was right there and what was going on."
