Beach closed as Shark spotted

“We are going to need a bigger boat” springs to mind when the word ‘shark’ is uttered on a beach or on the water.

THE screams of children could be heard for a long way when a blue shark was spotted off the coast of the Costa Dorada, the fin was seen in the sea just off Almadrava Beach at just after 1.30pm and the red flags were raised and the alarm went up to get everyone out of the water.

Swimmers were not allowed back into the sea for three hours when the flags were brought down at 4.30pm, although it did take a little longer before people started to venture into the shallows!

The second beach to be closed because of a shark in the last few days, as a Mako Shark was spotted off the Zahara de los Atunes near Tarifa on the Costa de la Luz, this shark had been linked to a couple of attacks on humans in boats and on kite surfing equipment, was spotted by lifeguards on a jet ski.

The sea was declared off-limits to sunbathers for nearly an hour and a half on Monday, from 3.30 to just before 5pm.

Local coastguards managed to coax it away from the shoreline before the beach was reopened.

The Mako shark is a species of mackerel shark currently classified as endangered by the International Union of Conservation of Nature.

The one spotted off Zahara de los Atunes is thought to be a shortfin Mako shark, which is capable of injuring and killing people but generally will not attack.