Sorrento shark attack: Northern beaches remain closed after fatal great white attack

Beaches across Perth’s northern suburbs remain closed on Saturday morning after a man was killed by a shark just metres from shore at Sorrento Beach.

All beaches in the City of Joondalup, from Marmion to Iluka, will remain shut until at least midday while authorities reassess the situation.

The man, aged in his 60s, was swimming with a friend about 15m offshore when he was attacked about 10.15am on Friday.

The shark is believed to have been a large great white, with reports suggesting it could have been about 5m long.

The man was killed in the attack but it remains unclear whether all of his remains had been recovered.

Fisheries Minister Jackie Jarvis has ordered the shark believed to be responsible to be destroyed.

Patrols are expected to resume on Saturday if weather conditions allow, although the water remains choppy.

The attack has left locals traumatised, with witnesses describing the horror of seeing blood spread through the water.

Local Ryan Rowe arrived at the beach shortly after the attack and was told by a witness that a swimmer had been bitten.

“A lady came running out of the water saying that someone had been bitten by a shark,” he said.

“He walked over to have a look on the back of the groyne and he said that by then there was blood everywhere.

“Basically the shark grabbed him again, pulled him back down and then it went out a bit further.”

“I couldn’t believe there was that much blood come out of a human body,” he said.

“We’re always sort of in and out of the water and stuff like that — it’s so close to home.”