Two surfers die after shark attacks off western Australia

A surfer whose leg was bitten off by a shark in western Australia has died from his injuries, and a woman diver was killed in a second apparent shark attack.

A woman has been killed in an apparent shark attack off western Australia.

Her death follows that of a 29-year-old surfer this weekend after he was bitten three days before.

The woman - who was a diver in her 60s - suffered injuries "consistent with a shark attack", police said.

She was diving off Perth when the attack happened.

Western Australia police inspector Danny Mulligan said the latest incident took place on Sunday morning at Mindarie between One and Three-Mile Reefs, off the city of Perth.

A 43-year-old man who was diving with the woman, who has not been named, told police he felt something go past him and when he surfaced he saw a "commotion in the water".

Surf Lifesaving Western Australia had tweeted about a shark seen about a kilometre offshore at Mindarie 20 minutes before the apparent attack.

Public report 4.5m white shark sighted 13:33hrs 05/06, Mindarie Beach, Perth Metro 300m offshore , 300-400m off Mindarie Marina .

— Surf Life Saving WA (@SLSWA) June 5, 2016

Meanwhile, a surfer whose leg was bitten off by a shark in western Australia has died from his injuries.

The brother of 29-year-old Ben Gerring thanked the "heroes" who brought him to shore after the attack and the staff at Royal Perth Hospital, where he died on Friday night.

Rick Gerring said the hospital's care had given the family three days with Ben.

"Obviously we were always hoping for the best outcome, it was always at the back of our minds that this could happen, but they gave us that time to say our goodbyes," he told ABC News.

Mr Gerring was attacked on Tuesday afternoon while paddling his surfboard at Falcon Beach in his home town of Mandurah, south of Perth.

Fellow surfers paddled to him to bring him to shore, witnesses said.

An inspection of his damaged surfboard showed a white shark was responsible. The Fisheries Department trapped and killed a large shark on Wednesday afternoon but did not know if it was the same shark that attacked Mr Gerring.

Area beaches have reopened, but the department warned people to be extra cautious in the water.