Exmouth shark attack: 11-year-old Archie Blake was on holiday with family at time of incident

The 11-year-old boy who was mauled by a shark off the coast of Western Australia has identified himself as Archie Blake.

Archie had left Hobart, Tasmania, with his parents and three siblings to embark on the journey of a lifetime.

The 11-year-old was snorkelling near Exmouth, 1,250km north of Perth, in Western Australia, when he was bitten by a shark at 3pm on Saturday.

Archie and his mother Hazel, who is a teacher, were about 50 yards from shore when the attack happened.

He was left with ‘severe lacerations’ to his left leg and was rushed to Perth Children’s Hospital in a serious but stable condition.

Marc De Sousa, who witnessed the attack, revealed how he and others helped get Archie to safety before giving him first aid.

Emergency services vehicles have been pictured at the scene where an 11-year-old boy was attacked by a shark

“I saw quite a bit of splashing water, wasn’t sure what had happened at the time, but when the mother and the two children started swimming in it, the mother waved for help,” he said.

“We ran up to him and the eldest of the boys, I think, got bitten in the leg by a decent shark, I’d say,” he told the ABC.

“We just made sure he was conscious, made sure he was the best he could be.”

Mr. De Sousa said his father arrived shortly after and then went to fetch Archie’s father Kieren, who is a paramedic.

“We dragged the boy further up the beach. I think it was a rash shirt that we used to put pressure on one of the bite marks,” he said.

Mr. De Sousa then ran to the nearby Kurrajong campground to call an ambulance, which took about 40 minutes to arrive.

Paramedics from St John WA treated the boy on the beach before taking him to the nearest hospital in Exmouth in a serious but stable condition.

The Royal Flying Doctors Service airlifted him to Perth Children’s Hospital later that evening for further treatment.

Swimmers in the area have been urged to take extra care and beaches were closed from Pilgramunna in the north to Bloodwood Creek in Cape Range National Park.

The entire Blake family was all around when the attack happened.

Hobart Councilor Ryan Posselt founded a GoFundMe on Sunday to raise money for the family.

The money will go towards any lodging, travel logistics or any rehab Archie needs for his recovery.

Archie (pictured) and his mother Hazel, who is a teacher, were about 50 yards offshore when the attack took place, with Archie suffering ‘severe lacerations’ to his left leg.

Archie is expected to have surgery on Sunday and will likely need several more in the coming days.

Mr Posselt said he started the fundraiser ‘to take the financial worries off the minds of a family who serve the community every day in their capacity as school teachers and paramedics.

“Getting financial worries out of their minds allows them to fully focus on taking care of their children and simply organizing the logistics,” he said.

“Accommodating the family of 6 near Perth Hospital will not be cheap and then getting Archie, the family and all their equipment (including car and trailer) to Tasmania will be a costly affair.”

WA’s Tourism Minister Roger Cook said he did not think the attack would harm tourism to the area.

“People are attracted to Western Australia because of the wild environment and the interaction with that environment,” he said.

“If this young boy was camping with his family at… a fairly remote campground in Cape Range National Park, they were obviously there because they loved the remoteness and the interaction with the environment that it entailed .

‘But of course that entails a certain risk.’