Briton killed in ‘joint attack’ by tiger shark and great white
A BRITISH father has been killed off the coast of Western Australia after reportedly being attacked by a 14ft Great White Shark.
Paul Millachip, 57, was attacked while swimming at Port Beach, North Fremantle, in front of horrified onlookers, who said that a Tiger shark may also have been involved in the vicious incident.
Police launched an extensive search over two days, but only found a pair of goggles, and it was called off yesterday afternoon. Mr Millachip was originally from Willesden, north-west London but settled in Perth many years ago, according to the Daily Mail.
Mr Millachip’s wife, who did not want to be named, said that he was a “lovely man” and “great father” who died doing “what he enjoyed doing the most, which was exercising”. She added that he was a strong swimmer having competed in six iron man competitions. “Rest in peace, Paul,” she said.
Mr Millachip’s wife was in Port Beach’s changing rooms when the attack occurred. His two adult children were also at the beach, it was reported.
Mr Millachip is believed to have been taken by at least one 15ft (4.5m) shark, about 50 metres off Port Beach, north of popular surfing spot Sandtrax.
Witnesses said they saw him struggling in the water before being “dragged under”.
Land, air and sea patrols conducted over the weekend could not find him.
On Saturday Troy Douglas, WA Police Senior Sergeant, said the incident was witnessed by four teenage boys in a dinghy just metres from the attack.
“They [saw] what was going on in the water … a person being attacked by a shark… And they have alerted emergency services straight away,” he said.
Police and witnesses said the boys were heroes for getting people out of the water so quickly.
Mr Millachip’s wife said their actions were “amazing,” and said it must have been an “absolutely terrifying experience.” “[They] could have potentially saved other lives,” she said. “My heart goes out to them and I thank them for what they did,” she added.
Kaiden Boult, 16, told local media he and his friends had been surfing when a boy in a dinghy “came flying at us and screamed at us to get out of the water because there’s been a shark attack”.
The beaches were still sealed off yesterday. “A family is now grieving, a man has lost his life. It’s a terribly sad situation,” West Australia Premier Mark Mcgowan said.
Daryl Mcphee, a shark expert, from Bond University in WA, said waters off Perth were a hotspot for shark attacks. “Going forward, we still expect more fatalities over time. You just can’t exactly predict where and exactly when,” he said.
Last year saw eight fatal shark attacks in Australia. This year there have been three. The numbers are raising questions from locals and scientists alike, who are pointing to warming waters, depleted fishing stocks and a tourism boom.