Huntington Beach closes waters after great white shark sighting
A great white shark reported circling near Huntington Beach led authorities to close a stretch of ocean as a safety precaution. The sighting matters because it highlights the need to follow lifeguard instructions while sharks are present in coastal waters.
A surfer reported seeing a 10–12-foot shark about 300 feet from shore at 3pm on 13 October; no one was injured. Researchers later searched by drone, jet ski and rescue boat but did not find it, while a shark expert said it might have been hunting elephant seals. Officials said this was Huntington Beach’s second sighting of the year, amid expectations that warmer El Niño conditions could keep juvenile white sharks in Southern California waters later in the year.
- A reported shark sighting closed part of Huntington Beach’s ocean.
- The 10–12-foot shark was not found in a later search.
- Warmer ocean conditions may keep juvenile sharks near shore longer.
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Great white sharks live in the Pacific off Southern California, where they may come close to shore while feeding. Elephant seals are among the animals they hunt, and young sharks can remain in the region’s coastal waters for much of the year.
Huntington Beach is a popular spot for swimming and surfing, so lifeguards monitor reports of sharks and can temporarily restrict access to the water. Such closures are precautionary; sightings do not necessarily mean anyone has been harmed or that a shark remains nearby.
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Originally published by Daily Mail as “‘Aggressive’ great white shark spotted off coast of California beach… as experts warn that it is hungry”.