The men were fishing in the Alexander Bay area, off the coast of Esperance, about 700 kilometers southeast of Perth, just after 5pm on Saturday. The shark, which became entangled in the group, reportedly bit the front of the boat, causing it to partially deflate and allow water to pass through, damaging the fuel lines and engine. ABC Australia.
Unable to start the engine, the men dropped anchor and began to drift.
Police said they were alerted around 8pm on Saturday when the men did not return to land, prompting an air and sea search for the missing boat.
The captain said the attack occurred after the group got stuck on a shark and tried to pull it out. One Esperance resident said he was grateful that people on the ground reported the group missing when they did not return.
Esperance Police were joined by Esperance Water Police, Department of Fire and Emergency Services (DFES), Esperance Marine Rescue and an Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA) surveillance aircraft.
The five men and the boat were found by an AMSA aircraft at around 12.45pm on Sunday and they were recovered by the Marine Rescue Service shortly afterwards.
