Shark kills diver in Western Australia

A shark believed to be four-metres in length killed a man diving with his brother in Western Australia on Saturday, the fourth such fatal attack in the state in less than a year.

The 33-year-old was diving off a small boat about 1.7 kilometres (one mile) from Stratham Beach near Busselton, about 200 kilometres (125 miles) south of Perth when the attack took place, police said.

"The other guy he was with is fine but tragically this man has been killed," a Western Australian Police spokeswoman told AFP.

The spokeswoman had no information on what kind of shark was involved in the attack, but said nearby beaches had been closed and fisheries officials were expected to investigate.

Reports said the unharmed diver is believed to have dragged his brother's body back onto the boat and taken him to Port Geographe Marina, near Busselton.

According to Department of Fisheries regional manager Tony Cappelluti, the brother saw dark object in the water around the time of the attack, the West Australian newspaper said on its website.

"The other diver said he saw an approximately four-metre, dark, shark-like object," Cappelluti said.

The incident follows three other fatal shark attacks on Australia's west coast in late 2011, an unusually high number that prompted the state government to vow a crackdown on the creatures.

An American diver was taken by a shark off Rottnest Island in October, just days after another man vanished while swimming in waters off the state capital Perth. A bodyboarder was killed near Dunsborough the previous month.

Sharks are a common feature of Australian waters but fatal attacks are rare.

Experts say the average number of attacks in Australia -- about 15 a year, with at least one being fatal -- have increased in line with population growth and the popularity of water sports.

The latest attack comes just 10 days after a surfer was bitten by a shark on Australia's eastern Gold Coast after he fell off his board and landed on the predator.

The animal, believed to be a bull shark, a species known for aggressive behaviour, reportedly bit the 20-year-old twice, slicing his flesh down to the bone and severely damaging his Achilles tendon.

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