Grandfather-to-be, 63, killed by great white at Perth beach as rare 'catch-and-kill order' is issued

From the Newshound archive · first published 19 September 2026 · last updated 20 September 2026.

A swimmer sharing a boogie board with a friend was pulled under twice and killed — Australia's fifth fatal shark attack of 2026 — at Sorrento Beach, Perth.

Sorrento Beach, Perth, where Greg O'Neil was dragged under and killed on Friday, with his body still unrecovered as bad weather hampered search crews on Saturday.

Greg O'Neill was dragged underwater and mauled to death at Sorrento Beach in Perth's northern suburbs on Friday morning while swimming close to shore alongside a friend, who made it back to shore inconsolable. Western Australia's fisheries minister Jackie Jarvis issued a rare catch-and-kill order — the first in the state in a decade — after water police spotted and positively identified the great white on Saturday. O'Neill's body has not been recovered, and beaches across Perth's north remain closed until at least Sunday midday as patrols continue by boat and helicopter.

O'Neill's family said he was a 'devoted family man' who was due to welcome his FIRST grandchild.

The attack is the third fatal shark strike in Western Australia this year and the second in the state in a single week.

Catch-and-kill orders are deeply controversial in Australia, where great white sharks are a protected species — major protests erupted after a similar order in 2014.

The Telegraph‘Catch and kill’ order after great white shark fatally attacks swimmer Fox News'Devoted' father and grandfather-to-be swimming at popular beach killed in suspected fatal shark attack NY PostDad mauled to death by shark in front of horrified friend as rare kill order issued for monster great white Irish IndependentRare catch-and-kill order in Perth after fatal great white shark attack

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