A man has died after being bitten by a shark off Sorrento Beach in Perth’s north.

Emergency services were called to the popular beach at about 10.30am on Friday after reports of a shark-related incident.

Western Australia police said a man had been bitten by a shark while swimming along the coast. He died as a result of his injuries, police said.

Emergency services, including water and air personnel, conducted an extensive search of the area. The swimmer’s body has not been found.

The Alkimos Surf Life Saving Club said Sorrento Beach will remain closed until 12pm on Saturday. Locals have been urged to stay out of the water until the beach was declared safe for swimming.

The City of Wanneroo has closed all other beaches along its coastline until 12pm on Saturday.

The local state MP, Liam Staltari, extended his condolences to the man’s family, friends and loved ones.

“Like all locals and people from across WA, I’m deeply saddened by the tragic death of a man following today’s shark attack at Sorrento Beach,” he said.

“Our entire community is thinking of you at this incredibly difficult time.”

A witness, Darrel Haythornthwaite, told 7News that he could not believe the incident had occurred, “especially in a place like this”. He said the man’s friend, who was swimming with him, made it back to shore but was inconsolable.

“He felt bad because he didn’t go back to save his mate and I said, ‘Nah you couldn’t have done that’,” he told the outlet. “There’s nothing that anyone could have done.”

Another witness, Ingrid Mitchell, told 9News she swam at the beach every day and did not expect sharks to attack outside of dawn and dusk.

“There was other swimmers in there … just near the seaweed, and there was one poor girl there who was sun-baking, and she saw the whole lot as well,” she said.

A third witness, Jacqui Rapaic, told the ABC she was walking along the beach with a friend when the incident occurred.

“My friend said, ‘Jac, I think there’s been a shark attack’ and I looked out to the ocean and I could see a pool of blood,” she said.

“I hugged onto my friend … [we] felt rather traumatised at that point. It happened so quickly.”

The fatality follows a shark attack on Monday at the remote Glenfield Beach, north of Geraldton on WA’s mid-west coast, which left a surfer with serious injuries.

He was taken to the nearby Geraldton health campus and is in a stable condition.

– with AAP