Sorrento Beach shark attack: Man aged in his 60s swimming with a mate when he was mauled by 6m-long beast

The search for the remains of a man mauled to death by a great white shark will resume on Saturday.

7NEWS understands the man was aged in his 60s was swimming with a friend about 15m off shore from Sorrento Beach in Perth when he was attacked about 10.30am on Friday.

Dozens of people were at the popular beach at the time of the attack, watching on helplessly as the 6m-long shark tossed him into the air.

Ingrid Michell said the man was dragged out into deeper water “at a rate of knots”.

“To see somebody being mauled to death in the water in front of you is hard,” she said.

She added: “There’s no way I’m going to be getting in that water again.”

Another witness said the attack “happened so fast” and “was like a scene off Jaws”.

“I just can’t believe it,” Darrel Haythornthwaite said, “especially in a place like this”.

WA Police officers were patrolling the beach while a police chopper and boat were spotted scouring across the water for the man’s remains.

While he was confirmed dead about 3pm on Friday, his remains are yet to be found.

Search efforts will return to the scene of the shocking attack at first light on Saturday.

7NEWS understands authorities are also planning to destroy the shark believed responsible.

Locals say sharks have been spotted circling local waters in recent weeks and there are questions about whether enough was done to prevent a tragedy like this.

The death comes just days after 56-year-old surfer Mel Ismail was mauled by a shark at Glenfield Beach in Geraldton, 420km north of Perth , on Monday.