A man has recalled his terrifying encounter with a shark that crashed into his jet ski during an early morning ride.
Brian Osmon was riding his jet ski at Town Beach in Mandurah, about 70km south of Perth, about 7am on Wednesday when he felt something collide with the watercraft about 100 meters offshore.
He initially thought it was a dolphin after noticing a fin protruding from the surface – a common sight in Mandurah’s waterways.
Seconds later, he was shocked to realize that it was actually a two-meter-long bronze whale shark.
The shark swerved towards his jet ski before crashing into it, leaving Mr Osmon in shock.
A few hours later, he was still in shock as he recounted the scary ordeal.
Brian Osmon (pictured) was shocked after discovering a large shark had struck his jet ski while he was riding on the waters of a Perth beach on Wednesday morning
“It was a big shark, bigger than my ski,” Mr. Osmon said 7 News.
He said he did not know if the shark was trying to swim under the jet ski, but said the force of the impact could have caused it to fall off.
“That’s what gave me the fear: ‘I have to leave this area now,’” he said.
Mr Osmon raised the alarm when he returned to shore to warn other beachgoers of the shark sighting.
The encounter with the animal won’t stop him from getting back on the water, but he plans to buy a radio for safety reasons.
“It won’t change the fact that I’ll be there tomorrow morning, but I’ll just be a little more careful.”
The shark sighting was reported to Western Australia Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development authorities.
The ministry has issued a shark warning via the government’s ‘shark smart’ website, urging beachgoers to stay out of the water until further notice.
“A shark WARNING has been issued for Town Beach in the City of Mandurah following a reported interaction with sharks,” the alert read.
‘A reported two-metre bronze whale shark struck a jet ski approximately 100 meters offshore.’
‘To reduce the threat to people, Town Beach has now been closed by the City of Mandurah who will continue to assess the situation.’
Mr Osmon was riding his jet ski at the popular Town Beach in Mandurah (photo stock image) when he came across the shark
Authorities monitored the incident throughout the morning.
A department spokesperson told Daily Mail Australia the beach had reopened around midday local time.
Town Beach is a popular beach among locals and tourists and is considered a safe vacation spot for families and visitors who want to swim in the water.
The latest incident comes after a spate of incidents this summer, including Lauren O’Neill, who was mauled by a bull shark while swimming in Elizabeth Bay, in Sydney’s east, a week ago.
Of the ten fatal shark attacks worldwide in 2023, four occurred in Australia.
The latest was in December, when teenage surfer Khai Cowley died at Ethel Beach on the Yorke Peninsula after being attacked by a white pointer.