A 38-year-old father of two has died after a great white shark attacked him while he was spearfishing off Rottnest Island, near Perth, Western Australia. Steven Mattaboni was approximately one kilometre from the island when the 13ft shark struck on May 16. Despite immediate efforts from his friends and emergency responders, he was pronounced dead at the scene, as first highlighted by LADbible.
Sergeant Michael Wear, officer-in-charge of the Rottnest Island police station, was among the first responders and described the scene as chaotic and horrific. He explained that Mattaboni was on the surface and in the process of returning to his boat when the attack occurred. His friends pulled him from the water and began administering first aid during the trip back to the jetty, where medical teams were waiting.
Sergeant Wear praised the critical care paramedics involved, saying everyone did what had to be done in a very small and difficult space. He declined to describe Mattaboni’s injuries in detail out of respect for the family, but confirmed the situation was extremely serious. There had been some initial confusion about the location, with early reports placing the incident at Geordie Bay. Sergeant Wear clarified that the attack took place out at sea, roughly one kilometre from the island and around 20 kilometres from the mainland.
Australia’s shark data paints a broader picture of ocean risk
This incident marks the second fatal shark attack in Australia in 2026, following the death of a 12-year-old boy in Sydney earlier in the year. According to the Australian Shark Incident Database, maintained by the Taronga Conservation Society Australia, roughly 180 species of sharks are found in Australian waters, though human encounters remain relatively low compared to other coastal risks. White, bull, and tiger sharks are responsible for most serious bites and fatalities.
White sharks in particular are known to hunt by striking prey from below at the surface, and their tolerance for cooler water temperatures makes them a factor across a wide range of coastal environments. Amid other recent incidents where emergency crews have faced difficult rescue conditions in confined or dangerous settings, the fatal roller coaster incident at Epic Universe also drew attention to how first responders perform under extreme pressure.
The Australian Shark Incident Database currently holds more than 1,100 individual investigations dating back to 1791. Each report includes an assessment of weather conditions, geographic location, and species involved, data used by researchers at the Taronga Institute of Science and Learning to better understand shark behavior and promote coexistence.
Risk levels can fluctuate with location, season, and water temperature, and incidents often occur near beaches when sharks are tracking schools of fish. The ocean’s relationship with humans who work and play in it extends beyond danger, as illustrated by a diver’s encounter with a wounded dolphin off the Los Angeles coast, which went viral after she entered the water to help the animal.
A GoFundMe page has been established to support Mattaboni’s wife and two young daughters following his death.
Published: May 18, 2026 12:15 pm