"About 8:45 am this morning, 22 November 2020, police were advised of a fatal shark attack at Cable Beach," Western Australia Police said in a statement to CNN.
"The man was recovered from the water and was treated by local police before arrival of St. John Ambulance. Tragically the man, a local resident aged in his 50s, died as a result of his injuries."
According to Surf Life Saving Western Australia and police, Cable Beach - located on the northwest coast of Australia by the popular holiday destination of Broome - has been closed as Fisheries Officers from the Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development conduct patrols.
Patrols will halt overnight and resume early Monday morning, Surf Life Saving Western Australia said in an online update Sunday evening.
The public has been advised to take caution around the Cable Beach area and report any shark sightings to police.
The incident occurred about 1 mile north of Cable Beach Surf Club. Beaches have been closed from Dampier Creek to Coconut Wells.
To put this year's spike into perspective, there were no shark attack deaths in Australia in 2019.
CNN's Jessie Yeung contributed to this report.
