Hero risked his own life to dive into the water to try and save a girl, 16, being mauled to death by a shark - as witness describes watching the horrific attack unfold in front of the teen's friends
- The teen, 16, was swimming with a pod of dolphins
- She was then horrifically mauled by a shark in the water
- Hero jumped in to drag her out of the water but she died
A hero put his own life on the line by jumping into a river to save a teenage girl being mauled by a shark.
The girl, 16, who has not been named, is believed to have been jet skiing with her friends when she spotted a pod of dolphins and dived into the Swan River in North Fremantle in Western Australia.
She was swimming with the dolphins at about 3.30pm on Saturday when she was attacked by the shark - as her horrified friends watched on.
Witnesses told police that a man bravely dived into the water to pull the teen out, describing him as a 'hero', but paramedics were unable to save her.
A local who saw the 16-year-old die being mauled by what is believed to be a bull shark said she heard people screaming before the man jumped in.
The girl's family and friends were seen in a state of shock as they walked near the river after she was pulled out.
Witnesses told police that a man bravely dived into the water to pull the tragic teen out. However, paramedics were unable to save her
A local, who saw the 16-year-old die being mauled by what is believed to be a bull shark, said she heard people screaming before the man jumped in
Emergency services, including police boats, rushed to the scene near the Fremantle traffic bridge and she was pulled out of the water with severe leg injuries.
Amid a string of reports, WA Police initially thought that she may have been injured by a boat propeller.
Fremantle District Acting Inspector Paul Robinson described the incident as 'traumatic'.
'It's an extremely traumatic event for everyone involved and everyone who knew the young girl, so I won't be going into the extent of the injuries.
'It is unusual for a shark to be that far down the river … at this point in time an alert has been put out, a shark warning just to let people know this incident has taken place.
'What we've been advised issues with friends on the river, they were on Jet Skis, there was possibly a pod of dolphins been seen nearby, and the young female jumped in the water to swim nearby the dolphins.'
The teen is believed to have bitten on the leg while in the Swan River by a traffic bridge in North Fremantle
WA Police said they received a triple zero call about 3.30pm and emergency services rushed to the scene
Police didn't go into details about her injuries and did not confirm what species of shark was involved in the attack.
It is the first fatal shark attack in the Swan River in a century.
WA Police said they received a triple zero call about 3.30pm and emergency services rushed to the scene in North Freemantle.
She was initially reported to be fighting for her life but has since passed away.
She was initially reported to be fighting for her life but has since passed away
The Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development on Saturday afternoon confirmed they were currently investigating a report of a 'possible shark bite' incident.
'DPIRD is working with local authorities and further information will be provided as it becomes available,' a spokesman said.
The only confirmed fatal attack in the Swan River was on January 31, 1923.
In that attack 13-year-old Scotch College student Charles Robinson was killed after he was mauled while swimming six metres from shore at Freshwater Bay near his school’s boat shed.
Fremantle District Acting Inspector Paul Robinson described the incident as 'traumatic'
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