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Man mauled by 13ft shark in horror attack at Aussie beauty spot just hours after chilling beach warning
A whale carcass was found off the coast nearby, with officials warning it could attract sharks before the attack
A MAN has been mauled by a shark in Australia just hours after locals were warned about possible attacks.
Emergency responders raced to the beach on the northwest coast this morning and the man was rushed to hospital.
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He was attacked on Fourteen Mile Beach, near Coral Bay in Western Australia, by an unknown species of shark.
Only 10 minutes before the beast pounced, a shark thought to be 13 feet long was spotted off the coast of Exmouth - about 200km away.
A local official has since confirmed the man is in stable condition.
Swimmers near Fourteen Mile Beach have been urged to take "additional caution" along the coastline following the attack.
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They have been warned to remain aware of any "signage and beach closures";.
Officials had issued a warning about sharks in the area, north of Perth, before the ambush.
A whale carcass was found off the coast of Point Cloates, between Fourteen Mile Beach and Exmouth before officials warned the public.
Swimmers were told the dead animal could attract sharks to the coastline.
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The beach is home to a popular camp site and known as a local beauty spot.
It sits 1100 km north of Perth.
Close-by is the world famous Ningaloo Marine Park and Reef - known for its whale sharks and hundreds of species of fish.
The man was attacked at around 11am local time on Monday.
A local official told 7NEWS: “We can confirm the patient is in a stable condition.”
The Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development said it is investigating a possible shark bite incident.
They told the outlet: “DPIRD is working with local authorities and further information will be provided as it becomes available.
Speaking of the dead whale found nearby, they said: “It is possible the carcass will act as an attractant that could lead to sharks coming close in to shore along this stretch of coast."
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