A 35-year-old man has died in Australia after being bitten by a large shark, according to state police.

The man was attacked while spearfishing with his family near Michaelmas Island off the south coast of Western Australia, near to the town of Albany.

The incident took place at around 11.30am on Saturday morning, and the man was brought to shore by boat. Multiple crews of paramedics treated him at the scene for more than two hours but were unable to revive him police said.

The man, not yet named by the police, was bitten by a suspected 4.5m shark, the state’s department of primary industries said.

The department urged people to take additional precautions in the Michaelmas Island area, and follow local advice about beach closures.

“A 35-year-old man was spearfishing with family off Michaelmas Island when he was attacked by a shark,” WA Police said in a statement. “He was conveyed back to shore by boat where he was met by SJA WA (St John Ambulance, Western Australia) paramedics. Sadly, he was unable to be revived.

“WA Police will prepare a report for the coroner.”

Saturday morning’s incident is the third fatal shark attack in Australia in just three weeks. On 24 May, a 39-year-old man died after being attacked by a shark while fishing on the Great Barrier Reef, and on 16 May a man died after being bitten on the legs by a great white shark at Horseshoe Reef off Western Australia’s Rottnest Island.

The victim of the 16 May attack has been identified as 38-year-old Steven Mattaboni. He was pulled up out of the water by a man who was with him at the time of the attack, but declared dead by the time their boat reached the shore an hour later.

“That’s quite a terrifying thing to see happen in front of you,” said Police Inspector Elaine Burns, adding that they were providing all the support they could to the man’s three companions.

Australia reports around 20 shark attacks per year but most are not fatal. The country has averaged three deaths from shark attacks per year in recent decades, according to ABC News.

There have been four deaths already this year, with 12-year-old Nico Antic passing away in hospital days after he was attacked by a bull shark off a Sydney beach on 18 January.