The 17-year-old surfer who died after being mauled by a shark near the WA town of Esperance on Monday has been identified as Laeticia Brouwer.
The teenager, along with her sister and father, were keen surfers from Singleton, near Mandurah south of Perth.
More National News Videos
- Video duration
- 00:49
Family statement for shark attack victim ...
Family statement for shark attack victim Laeticia Brouwer
Laeticia Brouwer died after being mauled by a shark near Esperance on Monday Vision: Nine News Perth.
Up Next
What PISA says about Australian schools
- Video duration
- 02:15
- Video duration
- 02:15
What PISA says about Australian schools
What PISA says about Australian schools
December 2016: The major global test of student achievement reveals just how far Australian high school students are behind their peers in the world's best performing countries.
Up Next
Why Mike Pence matters
- Video duration
- 01:18
- Video duration
- 01:18
Why Mike Pence matters
Why Mike Pence matters
David Wroe explains why the visit of the US Vice-President is important to Australia.
Up Next
What will ending 457 visas mean?
- Video duration
- 00:35
- Video duration
- 00:35
What will ending 457 visas mean?
What will ending 457 visas mean?
With Malcolm Turnbull ending 457 visas, cartoonist Matt Davidson wonders who'll fill the hole left by departing workers.
Up Next
'Robo-debt' collectors paid by commission
- Video duration
- 01:12
- Video duration
- 01:12
'Robo-debt' collectors paid by commission
'Robo-debt' collectors paid by commission
The Senate inquiry into the Centrelink 'robo-debt' collection scandal has heard the government contractor tasked with recovering funds worked by commission and had KPIs.
Up Next
'Australian jobs for Australians first': PM
- Video duration
- 02:22
- Video duration
- 02:22
'Australian jobs for Australians first': ...
'Australian jobs for Australians first': PM
Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull reiterated the government's new "Australia first" commitment to 457 visa changes in Canberra on Wednesday morning, saying Labor has allowed the program to explode.
Up Next
Laeticia Brouwer 'died doing something that she loved'
- Video duration
- 03:18
- Video duration
- 03:18
Laeticia Brouwer 'died doing something ...
Laeticia Brouwer 'died doing something that she loved'
Laeticia Brouwer's parents are heading home without their daughter tonight after their Easter family holiday ended in a shark attack tragedy. Vision: Nine News Perth.
Up Next
Australia's itty-bitty space program
- Video duration
- 01:53
- Video duration
- 01:53
Australia's itty-bitty space program
Australia's itty-bitty space program
Three Australian-made 'cubesats' are among the 36 miniature satellites launched by NASA on Tuesday, but what is a cubesat, and why are they so important?
Family statement for shark attack victim Laeticia Brouwer
Laeticia Brouwer died after being mauled by a shark near Esperance on Monday Vision: Nine News Perth.
The family were in Esperance for the Easter long weekend when Laeticia was attacked, with police confirming her identity on Tuesday.
Laeticia was believed to have been unconscious when she was pulled from the water around 4pm local time at Kelp Beds - approximately three kilometres east of Wylie Bay.
Related Content
She was seriously mauled on one of her legs, leading to massive blood loss, while surfing with her father.
Her mother and two sisters were reportedly watching on from the beach as she was attacked by the shark.
A family spokesman, on Tuesday morning, was emotional as he read a statement to media in Esperance.
"We are terribly heartbroken and saddened by this tragic accident," he said.
"We take comfort in the fact that Laeticia died doing something that she loved - the ocean was her and her family's passion.
"Surfing was something that she treasured doing with her dad and sisters.
"Laeticia will be greatly missed by her family, friends and everyone that knew her."
Her parents' Facebook page showed photos of 'Teesh' - as she was affectionately known - and her sister surfing at a number of beaches with their father.
She also played netball at a local Mandurah club.
A spokesman at the Esperance police station said the attack occurred while Laeticia and her father were surfing "not a long way off-shore" where waves were breaking.
"He obviously tried everything he could to help his daughter but sadly he wasn't able to save her...he brought her to shore," he said.
"She seemed like quite a competent surfer."
Esperance Police, St John Ambulance, Esperance Marine Rescue and the State Emergency Service rushed to the scene where they treated Laeticia on the beach.
Esperance Express reporter Caitlyn Rintoul, who was one of the first on the scene, said a woman was being hugged by a paramedic as the girl was given CPR.
"Our local paramedic was giving her CPR and calling on bystanders to come over and lift her onto the next stretcher," she said.
Laeticia was then taken to Esperance Hospital in a critical condition, where she died shortly after.
Wylie Bay Beach has been closed by local authorities until further notice.
It is believed the shark that attacked Laeticia was a great white but its size is not yet known.
Authorities will analyse the teen's surfboard to try confirm the species with the shark's bite cutting clean through the end of the board.
Experienced Esperance abalone diver Marc Payne said his interactions with great white sharks off the southern coast had increased from one sighting every 1200 dive hours, to one every 500 dive hours since the predator became a protected species in 1999.
"We've always had most of our interactions with sub-adults and juveniles - I guess we are getting more action," he said.
"My interactions have increased a bit over 100 per cent... in most situations they're inquisitive."
Fisheries minister Dave Kelly said the government would not be deploying drum lines to catch the shark.
"Obviously yesterday's incident is a tragedy, to have a young woman lose her life in those circumstances is very sad. Our thoughts this morning are with her family and friends," he said.
"There's fisheries vessels doing patrols, there's also staff patrolling the beaches and the beach will remain closed until fisheries and the local authorities review that it's safe to open.
"There haven't been drum lines deployed this morning. We made it clear in opposition that we don't see the merit in automatically deploying drum lines because they don't actually make our beaches any safer."
Kelp Beds, also known as "Kelpies", is a popular surf break in a remote area also used for camping and four-wheel driving.
It is just east of Wylie Bay, where Sean Pollard was attacked by two great white sharks in October 2014. The Bunbury man lost his left arm and right hand in the attack.
Last year there were two fatal shark attacks in WA.
In May Ben Gerring, 29, died following an attack at Falcon Beach, near Mandurah, while a month later 60-year-old Doreen Collyer died after a great white attack in Mindarie, just north of Perth.
- with The Esperance Express and David Baker
8 comments
New User? Sign up