Visitors to Brighton Beach in South Australia were warned about a large shark that had been spotted just metres from a popular swimming spot on Friday afternoon.
The three-metre shark was spotted by a patron of the beach at around 3:30 pm, and the news quickly spread throughout the area. Authorities issued a warning to all beachgoers, telling them to stay out of the water and to be aware of their surroundings.
SA Police reported that the creature was spotted 10 metres from the jetty.
The warning was especially important for visitors who were swimming or surfing. Surfers were asked to remain on shore until the shark had moved away, while swimmers were urged to stay in shallow waters or to exit the water altogether.
The shark was last seen heading south, away from the beach. Authorities believe that it was a large white shark, although it can be difficult to identify species from such a distance.
“Swimmers are advised to leave the water due to the sighting of a 3-metre shark located 10 metres north of the Brighton jetty,” South Australia police tweeted.
Hartwig Air patrols run daily from North Haven to Rapid Bay between the hours of 10am and 7:30pm.
