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Aaron ‘the shark rider’ Moir identified as victim of lemon shark mauling near the Pilbara’s Varanus Island

Michael TraillThe West Australian
VideoA WA shark attack victim is under investigation over claims he provoked the animal by jumping on its back.

The 32-year-old man medically evacuated to Perth on Wednesday night after being attacked by a lemon shark off the Pilbara coast calls himself the “shark rider”

Aaron Moir is recovering at Royal Perth Hospital, and was awaiting surgery on Thursday night, following his mauling near Varanus Island, 120km west of Karratha, during a fishing charter on Tuesday night.

The attack was not reported to Fisheries until the next morning, despite Mr Moir receiving significant injuries from what is understood to be three bite wounds on his back and leg from the three-and-a-half metre lemon shark.

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Mr Moir labelled himself the “shark rider” after being sacked at his previous job at Blue Juice Fishing Charters for jumping onto the back of a hammerhead shark in 2014.

The 32-year-old man medically evacuated to Perth on Wednesday night after being attacked by a lemon shark in the Pilbara this week is Aaron Moir, who calls himself the shark rider.
Camera IconThe 32-year-old man medically evacuated to Perth on Wednesday night after being attacked by a lemon shark in the Pilbara this week is Aaron Moir, who calls himself the shark rider. Credit: Nine News/Nine News

The 32-year-old was the skipper of a Montebello Island Safaris charter during Tuesday night’s attack, with at least six other people on board at the time, it was reported on Thursday night.

The events leading up to Tuesday night’s incident are unclear but are under investigation by Work Safe and the Australian Maritime Safety Authority, as well as Fisheries.

First aid was applied to Mr Moir by a passenger on board the vessel.

Mr Moir is in a stable condition at Royal Perth Hospital.

His mother said he is in “good spirits”.

In 2014 Mr Moir admitted his hammerhead stunt was a stupid idea but vowed to jump on sharks again.

“I was a bit of an idiot but I’ve worked with sharks for a long time and I understand them and how they go,” he said at the time.

Furious passengers on board his Montebello Island Safaris charter, who paid about $5000 each for the experience, this week told 7NEWS they were demanding compensation for the voyage.

The vessel had to race back to shore following the attack and the passengers claim he provoked the lemon shark by intentionally jumping on its back.

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