Shark policy under review after teen surfer's leg bitten off at hip: reports
It has been revealed the teenage surfer who died following a shark mauling off the WA coast reportedly had her leg bitten off from the hip.
Laeticia Brouwer, 17, was mauled during an Easter Monday afternoon surf with her father Leon at Wylie Bay, while her mother Julie and two siblings watched helplessly from the beach, police said.
Mr Brouwer and another young surfer pulled the teen to shore, where an off-duty nurse helped perform first aid and used a surfboard leash as a tourniquet to try and stem the bleeding.
But it's understood Laeticia lost so much blood that CPR was ineffective, and she did not regain consciousness, dying at Esperance Hospital about 20 minutes later.
New reports revealed the young surfer's left leg was bitten off at the hip, according to the West Australian.
The family of the teenage girl yesterday expressed their heartbreak and grief.
Laeticia's uncle Steve Evans broke down while reading a statement to reporters in Esperance on behalf of the devastated family, saying they were "terribly heartbroken and saddened by this tragic accident".
"We take comfort in the fact that Laeticia died doing something that she loved," he said.
"The ocean was her and her family's passion.
"Surfing was something that she treasured doing with her dad and her sisters.
"Laeticia will be greatly missed by her family, friends and everyone who knew her.
"We take comfort in the fact that she's now in heaven with the Lord in eternal peace."
The Singleton community of Mandurah has created a GoFundMe page to raise money to support the family.
"Our community is incredibly saddened to have this happen to one of their locals and to someone so young," crowdfunding organiser Hayley Summers wrote on the page.
"Our thoughts and prayers are with the Brouwer family at such an incredibly hard time."
St Johns Ambulance confirmed a female teenager received severe injuries to her left leg, but would not confirm how serious they were.
Department of Fisheries regional manager south Russell Adams believed the shark was a great white, after her broken surfboard was examined.
The Kelp Beds break, which is popular with surfers and sits off the unpatrolled Wylie Bay beach, remains closed until further notice and fisheries staff will continue water patrols.
The beach was also where 23-year-old Sean Pollard lost part of both his arms in a non-fatal shark attack in 2014.
Laeticia's death is the first fatal shark attack in Australia this year after two fatal attacks last year, both in Western Australia.
Human life comes first
The attack has thrown the issue of shark safety culling in the spotlight, with the government having dumped its controversial policy.
The federal government has moved to consider any strategies that would prevent further shark attacks off Australia's coast.
"In light of the recent shark attack the Commonwealth would welcome any proposal to protect human life first and foremost," federal Environment Minister Josh Frydenberg told the West Australian.
This could include culling or introducing new drumline technology.
The new Labor Western Australian government said on Tuesday it would not deploy drumlines to try to catch the shark responsible, which is believed to be a great white.
"We made it clear in opposition that we don't see the merit in automatically deploying drumlines because they don't actually make our beaches any safer," Fisheries minister Dave Kelly told reporters on Tuesday.
Mr Kelly said the new Labor government wanted to promote individual shark deterrents and hoped to announce a new policy in the next few weeks.
Last year while in opposition, Labor proposed a $200,000 subsidy scheme for personal shark deterrent devices.
Under the plan, 1000 devices such as Shark Shield would be available with a $200 state government subsidy.
Fatal shark attacks appear to have increased significantly in the state's waters. Of the 24 known deaths in WA in the past century, 14 have been since 2004, including two in the same week last June.
