WA's fifth fatal shark attack in a year claims 24-year-old surfer Ben Linden

Glenn Cordingley, Ashlee Mullany, Emily Moulton and Phil Hickey - 

Tributes are flowing today for WA's latest shark attack victim Ben Linden as the hunt for the massive 4 metre creature who mauled him to death near Wedge Island, north of Perth yesterday is called off.

The 4m killer, dubbed Brutus by surfers near Wedge Island, 180km north of Perth, mauled Ben Linden as he surfed with a mate about 9am yesterday.

Mr Linden, a talented musician and cabinetmaker, was surfing about 200m off an isolated beach when the fatal attack occurred.

Police will continue to search for Mr Linden's remains along the beach for the next few days but the search for the killer shark in the water has been called off by the Department of Fisheries as nothing has been sighted.

Mr Linden's girlfriend Alana Noakes said yesterday she had been left devastated by the tragedy.

On her Facebook page she said of her boyfriend: “Ben was the most amazing man, he lit up the lives of all who knew him.”

“He was the most talented, good-natured, beautiful person I've ever met. He was the love of my life, my best friend, my rock and my soulmate.”

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