Man killed in shark attack off Australia's north-east coast

The 39-year-old was fatally injured at a shoal off the Cassowary Coast in Queensland, apparently while spearfishing. Man killed in shark attack off Australia's north-east coast Copyright current_year BBC. All rights reserved. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. Read about our approach to external linking. Copyright current_year BBC. All rights reserved. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. Read about our approach to external linking. File photo of the Cassowary Coast, off which the shark attack occurred File photo showing a beach and treeline along the Cassowary Coast. A man has died after being attacked by a shark off the coast of the north-eastern Australian state of Queensland, police have confirmed. Emergency services were called to a boat ramp on the Cassowary Coast, between the cities of Cairns and Townsville, just before noon local time on Sunday, following reports of a 39-year-old being attacked. Queensland Police said that the man was retrieved from the water but later died. He was believed to have been spearfishing near an offshore reef. It is the second fatal shark attack in Australian coastal waters in as many weeks, after a 38-year-old was killed while spearfishing near Perth, in Western Australia, last Saturday. It is the second fatal shark attack in Australian coastal waters in as many weeks, after a 38-year-old was killed while spearfishing near Perth In that incident, the man had been bitten on the lower legs and could not be revived. Queensland Police has not disclosed the latest victim's identity. It said it would now prepare a report for the coroner on the "sudden and non-suspicious" death. Later Police Inspector Elaine Burns told reporters that the man, along with three others, had taken a private vessel to Kennedy Shoal, a shallow reef about 45km (28 miles) off the Queensland coast. "We believe the man had been spearfishing when he was attacked and died from a critical head injury," she said. "He was retrieved from the water by another person who was in the water with him at the time of the attack." He was declared dead when they reached shore about an hour later, Burns said. "That's quite a terrifying thing to see happen in front of you," she said, adding that police were providing what support they could to the man's three companions. Shark attacks around Australia are more common than in many other parts of the world, though they are often not fatal. There were four encounters with sharks across Australia in January, according to the Australian Shark-Incident Database, only one of which was fatal. Popular swimming and surfing spots tend to have measures to protect against attacks. Man killed by 13ft shark in Western Australia Aerial view of Rottnest Island, with turquoise waters and a sandy coastline and grassy hills Tributes flow after Australian shark attack victim named as father-of-two A shark swimming over a sandy sea floor where another shark lays Four attacks in 48 hours: How east Australia's beaches became a 'perfect storm' for sharks An aerial view of a sandy beach with the ocean on the right hand side, forest on the left and and mountains in the distance. Woman killed in shark attack in Australia The body of Matthew Cameron Paton, 53, was found on Thursday, about 300m down a steep slope. The social media giant will pay A$650,000 plus legal costs, ending a three-year legal saga. Avalon Airport's domestic terminal was closed for several hours on Thursday after a suspicious item was found. Steven Mattaboni, 38, died on Saturday after a shark attack while spearfishing at Rottnest Island. The attack occurred at Horseshoe Reef - north-west of the popular Rottnest Island near the city of Perth, local police say. Peter Smith and his wife were on holiday in the Caribbean when a beautiful swim suddenly changed. Human-shark encounters in Australia are rising - but experts are keen to point out it isn't the animals' fault. Nico Antic was swimming in Sydney Harbour when he was attacked last Sunday.