Diver 'killed instantly'in shark attack

A man was killed by a shark yesterday while diving with his brother off a beach in Australia. It is the country's fourth fatal shark attack since September, all of them off the continent's south-west corner.

The two men were diving about a mile off Stratham Beach, 140 miles south of Perth, the Western Australia state capital, when one of the brothers was attacked. He was apparently killed instantly. His brother was unharmed. The species of the shark is not yet known.

The last fatality in Australia was an American, George Thomas Wainwright, 32, who was killed last October by a 10ft great white while diving off Rottnest Island, 11 miles west of Perth. Attacks have become more common in recent decades as more people take part in ocean recreation.