The 16-year-old girl who was killed by a shark while swimming in a river in Western Australia (WA) has been identified as Stella Berry.
A schoolgirl was pronounced dead after being pulled from the Swan River in Perth on Saturday.
Police say Stella was riding a jet ski with friends when she jumped into the water to swim with the dolphins and was attacked.
In a statement, her parents said they were “devastated and deeply shocked”.
Matt and Sophie Berry said their daughter was an “active and happy girl” who loved the water and art.
“She was a caring person and a dear friend to many … a beautiful and loving big sister and the best daughter we could have hoped for.”
A friend of hers, Laura Connolly, told JEE News that Stella was the sweetest and smartest girl I knew.
“She was so kind,” Lara said.
Authorities are investigating what type of shark was involved, but the WA Fisheries Minister has said it was “likely” a bull shark.
Dawn Punch said that the government will consider what can be done to prevent similar incidents.
“Shark barriers are something we are always willing to discuss with local government.”
Fisheries experts say shark sightings in this stretch of the Swan River are rare and the first fatal attack along the river in 100 years.
Historically, deaths from shark bites have not been common. In more than a century of records, the shark attack fatality rate in Australia is 0.9 – less than one person per year.
There were two fatal shark attacks in 2021, and seven in 2020.
