A blue shark measuring about two metres was spotted near shore on Aguamarina beach in Orihuela Costa (Alicante) on Thursday morning. The animal spooked beachgoers as the shark not only swam close to the shore, it also approached some swimmers.
The shark’s presence also surprised a diver who was in the water and was forced to leave the sea at full speed. The coast guard took action in the area to control the animal but ‘did not see any danger’. Moreover, as the shark disappeared again, the area did not have to be closed to swimming, municipal sources told news service Europa Press. However, another news service, NIUS, did report that beachgoers were evacuated.
Commotion on social media too
The appearance of the blue shark also caused commotion on social media. Images show the shark with its characteristic fin emerging from the water about 10 metres from the shore of Aguamarina beach.
In the evening, the shark hit the news again, when it was reported around 8.00pm that it had been found dead. It was found in a nearby bay near La Caleta. What exactly the cause of death was is not known. The police and coastguard intervened to remove the animal from the beach after a group of bathers raised the alarm.
Blue shark has endangered status
The blue shark, which does not normally attack humans, is found in tropical and temperate seas and oceans. It is more often seen in the Mediterranean Sea, where it is listed as ‘endangered’ by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). Earlier this year, a blue shark washed up on a beach in Bernissa, Costa Blanca.
