Shark attack a 'strong possibility' in NSW man's WA disappearance

A coroner believes a man who went missing off Mullaloo Beach 13 years ago died in the water that day, with a shark attack considered a strong possibility.

Martyn Tann, 24, was visiting Perth from NSW in 2013 when he was seen entering the water at Mullaloo Beach in the city’s north. But he never came out.

On Monday, an inquest into his disappearance found he likely died the day he entered the water.

For the Tann family it was a step closer to answers but no real conclusion.

“There’s no closure when you’ve got a missing person,” father Colin Tann said.

Multiple witnesses saw the marine biologist and dive master swimming out to a yellow buoy.

Some noticed bubbling water at the time. A marine biologist on Monday attributed it to a fish feeding frenzy, which could have attracted sharks.

Martyn’s belongings were later found on the beach, triggering an extensive land and sea search.

“There were concerns for his welfare, why hadn’t he returned home and that his backpack was located on the beach with personal belongings, his wallet his passport, important documents,” Senior Sergeant Peter Trivett said at the time.

The coroner concluded she was “satisfied” “that he’s deceased”.

“As to what happened to him, a shark is a strong possibility,” she said.

Two months after Martyn’s disappearance, a dreadlock washed up on the beach at Mullaloo.

Initial testing was inconclusive, but there are plans to re-test it now, with advances in DNA technology.

“He was our youngest son. He’s been gone 13 years,” Colin said.

“There’s not a day that goes past without thinking about him.”

WA Police will continue to treat his disappearance as an ongoing investigation.