A local firefighter, Mel Ismail, 56, lost his foot after being attacked by a shark while surfing alone at Glenfield Beach in Western Australia on Monday morning. The shark bit into his leg and surfboard approximately 40 meters from shore.
Another beachgoer witnessed the attack and rushed into the water to assist Mr. Ismail. With the help of a group of teenagers on the shore, who used a surfboard rope as a makeshift tourniquet to control bleeding, Mr. Ismail was brought to safety. Emergency responders then took over first aid before he was transported to Geraldton Health Campus. He underwent surgery and is reported to be in serious but stable condition.
Department of Fire and Emergency Services deputy commissioner Melissa Pexton expressed solidarity with Mr. Ismail, his family, and his colleagues, thanking the first responders for their swift actions. Geraldton MLA and shadow fisheries minister Kirrilee Warr echoed these sentiments, noting the traumatic nature of the event based on witness accounts and expressing hope for his recovery.
Authorities have collected Mr. Ismail's wetsuit and damaged surfboard to aid in identifying the shark species. The Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development is collaborating with local authorities on the response.
Glenfield Beach, known locally as 'Glennies' and a popular spot for surfing, swimming, and snorkeling, remains partially closed. This incident adds to the number of shark attacks recorded in Australia this year, with two of the four fatal attacks occurring in Western Australia.
In unrelated incidents in Western Australia, Perth father-of-two Steven Mattaboni, 38, died on May 16 after being bitten on the leg while spearfishing near Rottnest Island. Three weeks later, Daniel Turpin, 35, was killed by an estimated 4.5-meter great white shark while spearfishing off Michaelmas Island, near Albany.
Friends described Mr. Ismail as a good neighbor and avid surfer, noting his deep familiarity with the ocean and expressing confidence in his resilience. In 2015, Mr. Ismail met Australian surfing world champion Mick Fanning, who had his own shark encounter that year in South Africa.