A 38-year-old spearfisherman died in a deadly white shark attack at the WA Coast. As per reports, Steven ‘Mattas’ Mattaboni was killed by a four or five-meter great white shark while he was fishing near Rottnest Island on May 16, 2026. He was a family man and is survived by a wife and two daughters.
Steven Mattaboni’s last Instagram profile picture showed him lifting a huge dead shark in his arms
Life is truly unpredictable. Steven was known for his fearlessness while dealing with the marine life. We stumbled upon his Instagram feed, and his last profile picture showed him lifting a huge, lifeless shark in his arms. It is shocking that Steven Mattaboni’s cause of death was a bite during the shark attack.
Steven Mattaboni died in a shark attack
On May 16, 2026, Steven Mattaboni died in a brutal shark attack. He was in the water at Horseshoe Reef at around 9:55 a.m. on May 16, 2026, when he reported being bitten by a shark, as per police. He was taken on a boat to shore at Geordie Bay on the north side of the island. While he was given the necessary aid by paramedics, he was unable to be revived. A rescue helicopter landed on the island to help Steven reach the hospital on the mainland.
Steven Mattaboni’s family are in pain
Steven Mattaboni’s family still cannot believe his sudden passing. In a statement, his wife, Shirene Mattaboni, who is a clinical nurse specialist, stated that Steven was a devoted father to his daughters. Steve and Shirene have two daughters: one will turn three next month, and the other is just four months old.
The Guardian
In an interview with The West Australian, Shirene stated they are extremely heartbroken by the death of Steven. He was an avid fisherman and spearfisherman. She added that Steven loved the ocean and was always in tune with the sea. Shirene added that Steven was an extremely loyal, generous, and kind man. She was quoted as saying:
“Our hearts are irrevocably broken by the loss of Steven, known affectionately to his mates as ‘Mattas’. An avid fisherman and spearfisherman, who lived and breathed the ocean, he was always in tune with the sea. He was fiercely loyal, endlessly generous, and the kind of man who would give you the shirt off his back. The world has lost a truly one-of-a-kind gentleman, and our daughters have lost an incredible father far too soon.”
Image: News.com.au/X
All about the deadly shark attack
In the photos that have been going viral, Steven’s friends were seen consoling each other on the deck of a police boat, and officers were also sympathetic and comforted the men. Officer in charge of Rottenest Island, Sergeant Michael Wear, talked about the horrific accident and revealed that his friends were the ones who witnessed the horrific event. The man’s friends were the ones who retrieved his body from the water and gave him CPR on the way back. The officer said:
“His friends have actually witnessed the horrific event. The friends of the victim retrieved his body from the water, they gave him CPR on the way back in and came straight into the Geordie Bay jetty.”
WA/Today
The police further revealed that the group had experienced fishermen. They had taken two boats, and they performed CPR on the 38-year-old as the boat raced back to the nearest jetty, where a rescue helicopter was waiting for them. The Sergeant Wear revealed the man was on the surface of the water spearfishing 20m from his boat when the shark emerged. He stated that the man’s injuries were quite horrific.
We pray for the Stevens’ family in these testing times.
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