Rottnest Island’s The Basin closed due to several shark sightings

A Rottnest Island beach has been closed for the third time in five days after a shark was seen “circling” in the area.

Tourist hot spot The Basin was closed about 2pm on Thursday after a two-metre shark was spotted.

Three sightings have been reported — at 1.19pm, 1.21pm and 2.51pm — with the first just 25m offshore.

The most recent sighting places the shark 450m offshore and circling in the area.

Surf Lifesaving WA announced the beach had been closed. Tourists were also kept away from the beauty spot on Monday after a 3.5m tiger shark was reported 200m offshore.

Dylan Easter, who was at the The Basin, told The West Australian: “We were just swimming and then the helicopter starting circling around and then a couple of minutes later they starting playing an alarm on their megaphone and then the lifeguards got everyone out of the water.”

On Saturday, a sighting of a 2.5m shark also saw the beach shutdown.