A 37-year-old man from Victoria died after a shark attack while surfing at a secluded beach in Western Australia. The attack was recorded on drone footage, showing a significant blood presence in the water.
Steven Jeffrey Payne, a resident of Melbourne, was surfing at Wharton Beach near Esperance, Western Australia, about 500 miles south of Perth, when he was attacked by a “massive shark” on Monday, March 10, 2025, at approximately 12:10 p.m. local time.
Payne was on a six-month trip with his partner and their dog when the incident occurred. According to police, the couple was only four to five weeks into their journey.
“Unfortunately, that search has not recovered the surfer’s body, and I can also confirm that our search is a recovery, not a rescue,” Senior Sergeant Christopher Taylor informed reporters on Tuesday.
Witnesses saw the shark attack Payne in chest-deep water, roughly 164 feet from the shore. His partner and other beachgoers witnessed the attack, which authorities have described as “heartbreaking.”
“I’m led to believe they were four to five weeks into that holiday, which obviously has come to an abrupt end,” Taylor said.
Emergency services, including police, Marine Rescue, and State Emergency Service personnel, conducted an extensive search but could not locate Payne’s body. His surfboard, bearing evident bite marks, was discovered about 98 feet from the shore.
Drone footage captured the aftermath, showing a shark departing from a large blood cloud close to the shore. Authorities who reviewed the footage described it as gruesome.
The Shire of Esperance closed Wharton Beach immediately following the attack, but it was expected to reopen on Wednesday, March 12, as there have been no further shark sightings.
This incident marks the fourth fatal shark attack in the Esperance area since 2017, underscoring the potential risks in these waters. Previous victims include a schoolgirl, a diver, and a local surfer, with at least two of the attacks involving great white sharks.
The shark species responsible for Payne’s death has yet to be identified. Authorities are examining the recovered surfboard to determine the shark’s size and type.
The attack location is not covered by the Shark Monitoring Network, with the closest receivers situated about 62 miles away. While sharks in the region have been tagged, Wharton Beach is outside the network’s coverage.
Esperance Shire President Ron Chambers advised visitors to exercise caution when swimming and surfing due to the unpredictable nature of shark movements. “The whole community of Esperance feels the pain,” Senior Sergeant Taylor said. “We’ve been through this before and it hurts a lot.”
Payne’s family is reportedly distraught and attempting to cope with the tragedy. Some reports indicate they do not support hunting and killing the shark involved in the attack.
Shark attacks in Australia are rare, despite significant publicity. Since 1791, 255 fatal shark bites have been recorded in a country with 27 million residents. Western Australia hosts approximately 100 shark species, many capable of injuring humans, though typically not aggressive.
Officials recommend beachgoers monitor local shark alerts and remain within beach enclosures when available. The Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development continues to monitor the situation and advise local authorities.
The search for Payne’s body was officially called off on Tuesday, March 11, with authorities acknowledging that recovery might not be possible given the circumstances of the attack.
