Lifeguards cleared a British beach due to the presence of a large shark seen patrolling the waters. RNLI lifeguards at St Ouen’s Bay, Jersey used loudspeakers to instruct beachgoers to exit the water following multiple sightings of the shark on Saturday morning. Described as dark grey and measuring between 10ft to 12ft (3m to 3.6m) in length, it led to the unprecedented closure of the beach in Jersey, which is a rare occurrence across the British Isles.
Local lifeguard Tom Rolls expressed astonishment upon receiving reports from a colleague about the shark sighting, as it was the first time the beach had been closed for such a reason. Red flags were raised, and a PA system was utilized to ensure the safety of individuals before the beach was reopened approximately an hour later, with no reported injuries.
In a separate incident in June, a 4.3-meter-long (14ft) smalltooth sand tiger shark washed ashore on Grève d’Azette beach in Jersey, not far from the recent sighting location. Despite efforts by responders from British Divers Marine Life Rescue (BDMLR), Jersey Coastguard, and Marine Resources to revive the shark, it succumbed shortly after being found.
Sand tiger sharks, typically found in tropical and subtropical waters like the Mediterranean, are known for their distinctive habitats. In another event in August 2021, RNLI lifeguards in Dorset cleared a stretch of water off Boscombe and Bournemouth beaches after reports of a large marine animal, later identified as a harmless basking shark. Similarly, in July 2012, swimmers and surfers were evacuated from Croyde Bay in Devon when a large fin, likely from a basking shark, was spotted inside a designated safe swimming zone.