A massive great white shark has been spotted chasing a tiger shark in the water off one of Perth‘s most popular swimming beaches.

The 5.3metre great white is the second-longest shark recorded in Western australia and was seen lurking in the waters at Cottesloe Beach on Friday.

The sighting prompted the beach to close twice as Department of Fisheries authorities attempted to catch the shark and tag it.

In harrowing footage captured by Nine News, Fisheries teams are seen hanging over the edge of a boat to tag the great white after it was caught in drumlines.

The 5.3 metre long beast is the second largest shark recorded in the state and was spotted twice at Cottesloe Beach on Friday.

The shark was then seen thrashing against the side of the boat while one Fisheries worker put his hand just inches away from the shark’s jaws to to help cut it loose.

A Surf Life Saving helicopter had spotted the shark swimming around 300m off shore at 9.30am on Friday, immediately signalling the alarm sending swimmers racing back to shore.

The beach was closed but opened up a short time later.

Authorities said the great white had been following a tiger shark that had been spotted overnight on Thursday in the waters between Scarborough and Leighton beaches.

However, the monster shark was seen again just hours later and Cottesloe Beach was shut for the second time.

The largest shark ever recorded in the state measured 5.4 metres long.

The shark was then seen thrashing against the side of the boat while one fearless Fisheries worker put his hand just inches away from the shark’s jaws to to help cut it loose

Cottesloe Beach was closed twice on Friday as authorities raced to move the shark away from the shore

More than 30 sharks have been spotted swimming off the shores of Perth beaches since last Monday – resulting in 11 beaches closing.

Eight Australians have died this year due to shark attacks – the country’s highest number since 1934.

Three of these were recorded in WA, including diver Gary Johnson, 57, who was killed by a great white shark while diving with his wife near Esperance in January.

Father-of-two Andrew Sharpe was killed by a shark while surfing at Kelp Beds in Wylie Bay, near Esperance on WA’s south coast on October 9.

Charles Cernobori, 59, who worked at a Cable Beach hotel was killed by a 4m suspected tiger shark while bodyboarding 2km north of the main tourist section on November 22.

The tiger shark was spotted close to shore at Mullaloo Beach. (Wanderlust_Flyer)

THE EIGHT FATAL SHARK ATTACKS IN 2020

January 5: Diver Gary Johnson, 57, was killed by a great white shark while diving with his wife near Esperance in WA

April 6: Wildlife ranger Zachary Robba, 23, was then mauled to death by a shark while swimming off the Great Barrier Reef in Queensland

June 7: Surfer Rob Pedretti, 60, was killed by a great white shark while he was boarding at Salt Beach near Kingscliff in far northern NSW

July 4: Spearfisher Matthew Tratt, 36, was mauled to death by a suspected great white shark in a ‘provoked’ attack on Fraser Island in Queensland

July 11: Surfer Mani Hart-Deville, 15, was boarding when he was killed by a suspected great white shark at Wooli Beach, near Grafton on the NSW North Coast

September 8: Surfer Nick Slater, 46, was mauled to death by a suspected great white at Greenmount Beach on the Gold Coast

October 9: Father-of-two Andrew Sharpe was killed by a shark while surfing at Kelp Beds in Wylie Bay, near Esperance on WA’s south coast

November 22, Cable Beach, WA: Charles Cernobori, 59, who worked at a Cable Beach hotel was killed by a 4m suspected tiger shark while bodyboarding 2km north of the main tourist section