The Last 10 Fatal Shark Attacks - October 4, 2026
New Wave Swim BuoyA morning swim. A day on the reef. A ride across a tropical bay. These ten fatal shark attacks happened in very different places, but each left a family and a community grieving.
Here are their stories, from the most recent attack to the oldest.
1. September 18, 2026 — Sorrento Beach, Perth, Australia
Greg O’Neill was swimming with a friend off Sorrento Beach when a shark attacked. The 63-year-old died in the water. His regular swim ended with a major search along Perth’s northern coast.
Boats and helicopters searched the area, and nearby beaches closed. Authorities later issued an order to catch the shark believed to be responsible.
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🦈 White Shark
White Shark
Shark length: 14 ft 9 in (4.5 meters)
Human height: 5 ft 11 in (1.8 meters), standing.
Often found in cooler coastal waters, with a gray back and white belly.
2. June 6, 2026 — Michaelmas Island, Albany, Australia
Daniel Turpin was spearfishing near Michaelmas Island, off Albany, when a shark attacked him. The 35-year-old had been out on the water with family.
He was brought back to Albany by boat, where paramedics tried to save him. He died from his injuries. A white shark was suspected in the attack.
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🦈 White Shark — suspected
White Shark
Shark length: 14 ft 9 in (4.5 meters)
Human height: 5 ft 11 in (1.8 meters), standing.
Often found in cooler coastal waters, with a gray back and white belly.
3. May 24, 2026 — Kennedy Shoal, Great Barrier Reef, Australia
Michael Jensz was spearfishing with friends at Kennedy Shoal on the Great Barrier Reef when a shark attacked. The 39-year-old Cairns man was brought back toward shore after the bite.
Emergency crews met the boat at Hull Heads, but he could not be saved. His friends had set out for a day of diving on the reef.
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🦈 Bull Shark — regional example
Bull Shark
Shark length: 8 ft 2 in (2.5 meters)
Human height: 5 ft 11 in (1.8 meters), standing.
A sturdy, blunt-nosed shark found in coastal waters and estuaries.
4. May 16, 2026 — Horseshoe Reef, Rottnest Island, Australia
Steven Mattaboni, a 38-year-old father of two, was spearfishing with friends near Rottnest Island when a shark bit his leg. His friends pulled him aboard their boat and began trying to save him.
They rushed to Geordie Bay, where emergency crews took over. He died despite their efforts. Authorities reported a white shark at the scene.
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🦈 White Shark
White Shark
Shark length: 14 ft 9 in (4.5 meters)
Human height: 5 ft 11 in (1.8 meters), standing.
Often found in cooler coastal waters, with a gray back and white belly.
5. February 22, 2026 — Anse Vata, Nouméa, New Caledonia
A 55-year-old man went wing foiling off Nouméa’s Anse Vata beach. He was later found dead near Île aux Canards, a small island just offshore.
Investigators found shark-bite marks on his body and board. A forensic examination pointed to a tiger shark, with drowning following the attack. Swimming and water sports were temporarily banned along parts of the coast.
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🦈 Tiger Shark — likely
Tiger Shark
Shark length: 9 ft 10 in (3.0 meters)
Human height: 5 ft 11 in (1.8 meters), standing.
A tropical shark recognizable by dark stripes along its sides.
6. January 29, 2026 — Praia del Chifre, Olinda, Brazil
Thirteen-year-old Deivson Rocha Dantas was in the water with friends at Praia del Chifre when a shark bit his thigh. The beach lies beside Olinda, on Brazil’s northeastern coast.
His friends helped get him out of the water, and he was taken to Hospital Tricentenário. He died from his injuries. Pernambuco’s shark-incident committee later said a bull shark may have been responsible.
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🦈 Bull Shark — likely
Bull Shark
Shark length: 8 ft 2 in (2.5 meters)
Human height: 5 ft 11 in (1.8 meters), standing.
A sturdy, blunt-nosed shark found in coastal waters and estuaries.
7. January 18, 2026 — Shark Beach, Sydney Harbour, Australia
Nico Antic had been jumping from rocks with friends at Shark Beach in Sydney Harbour when a shark attacked him. His friends pulled the 12-year-old from the water and helped him until rescuers arrived.
He was taken to hospital with severe injuries. His family announced his death on January 24, six days after the attack. A bull shark was suspected.
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🦈 Bull Shark — suspected
Bull Shark
Shark length: 8 ft 2 in (2.5 meters)
Human height: 5 ft 11 in (1.8 meters), standing.
A sturdy, blunt-nosed shark found in coastal waters and estuaries.
8. January 8, 2026 — Dorsch Beach, St. Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands
Arlene Lillis, a 56-year-old woman from Minnesota, was swimming near Dorsch Beach on St. Croix when a shark attacked. Emergency services received the call late that afternoon.
Rescuers brought her ashore and took her to hospital, where she died. The beach is on the island’s western coast, near Frederiksted.
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🦈 Caribbean Reef Shark — regional example
Caribbean Reef Shark
Shark length: 5 ft 11 in (1.8 meters)
Human height: 5 ft 11 in (1.8 meters), standing.
A streamlined shark often seen around Caribbean coral reefs.
9. December 21, 2025 — Lovers Point, Pacific Grove, California
Erica Fox was swimming with members of the Kelp Krawlers near Lovers Point when she disappeared. The 55-year-old was a familiar face in Monterey Bay’s open-water swimming community.
Search crews looked for her along the coast. Her body was found near Davenport on December 27, and a later autopsy confirmed that she had died in a shark attack.
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🦈 White Shark — regional example
White Shark
Shark length: 14 ft 9 in (4.5 meters)
Human height: 5 ft 11 in (1.8 meters), standing.
Often found in cooler coastal waters, with a gray back and white belly.
10. November 27, 2025 — Kylies Beach, Crowdy Bay, Australia
Two Swiss visitors were taking an early-morning swim at Kylies Beach when a shark attacked them. The woman died at the scene. The man was badly injured.
A bystander helped control his bleeding before paramedics arrived, and he survived. Beaches around Crowdy Bay were closed after the attack. Authorities identified a bull shark as the likely cause.
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🦈 Bull Shark — likely
Bull Shark
Shark length: 8 ft 2 in (2.5 meters)
Human height: 5 ft 11 in (1.8 meters), standing.
A sturdy, blunt-nosed shark found in coastal waters and estuaries.
Where the ten incidents happened
- Sorrento Beach, Perth, Australia
- Michaelmas Island, Albany, Australia
- Kennedy Shoal, Great Barrier Reef, Australia
- Horseshoe Reef, Rottnest Island, Australia
- Anse Vata, Nouméa, New Caledonia
- Praia del Chifre, Olinda, Brazil
- Shark Beach, Sydney Harbour, Australia
- Dorsch Beach, St. Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands
- Lovers Point, Pacific Grove, California
- Kylies Beach, Crowdy Bay, Australia
Quick guide: dates and places
| No. | Attack date | Location | Activity | Person who died |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | September 18, 2026 | Sorrento Beach, Perth, Australia | Swimming | Greg O’Neill, 63 |
| 2 | June 6, 2026 | Michaelmas Island, Albany, Australia | Spearfishing | Daniel Turpin, 35 |
| 3 | May 24, 2026 | Kennedy Shoal, Great Barrier Reef, Australia | Spearfishing | Michael Jensz, 39 |
| 4 | May 16, 2026 | Horseshoe Reef, Rottnest Island, Australia | Spearfishing | Steven Mattaboni, 38 |
| 5 | February 22, 2026 | Anse Vata, Nouméa, New Caledonia | Wing foiling | A 55-year-old man |
| 6 | January 29, 2026 | Praia del Chifre, Olinda, Brazil | Swimming | Deivson Rocha Dantas, 13 |
| 7 | January 18, 2026 | Shark Beach, Sydney Harbour, Australia | Swimming | Nico Antic, 12 |
| 8 | January 8, 2026 | Dorsch Beach, St. Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands | Swimming | Arlene Lillis, 56 |
| 9 | December 21, 2025 | Lovers Point, Pacific Grove, California | Swimming | Erica Fox, 55 |
| 10 | November 27, 2025 | Kylies Beach, Crowdy Bay, Australia | Swimming | A woman in her 20s |
Before your next swim
Check beach warnings before you enter the water, and follow the lifeguards' advice. Swim with other people, stay reasonably close to shore, and avoid swimming at dawn or dusk. Keep away from fishing areas and bait.
The Florida Museum has more tips for reducing the risk of a shark encounter.