A man has been killed by a shark while diving with his brother off a beach in south-west Australia, police said.

This is the fourth fatal shark attack in Australia since September, all of them taking place off the continent's south-west corner.

Police spokeswoman Sgt Naomi Smith said the two men were diving from a boat off Stratham Beach, about 140 miles south of Perth, the Western Australia state capital, when one of brothers was attacked.

The Fisheries Department has launched an investigation, which will include an examination of bite marks on the victim's body to determine the shark species.

Tina Thorne, of the department's shark response unit, said an aeroplane and two government boats are searching for the shark.

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