Swimmers having a good time at a tourist beach, have had to flee for dear life after a great white shark was washed up the shore.
The shark was washed up the shore
According to a report by
The Sun UK, some terrified swimmers were forced to flee the water today after an injured Great White shark washed up on a popular Australian beach.
The ocean predator was spotted on the shore of Sydney's popular Manly Beach shortly after midday.
Footage shows the animal, believed to be a young Great White, moving its tail around as shocked beachgoers looked on.
Lifeguards on jet skis kept watch over the shark before marine rescue arrived to bring it to shore using a stretcher.
After being rescued, the Great White was stretchered into a nearby rock-pool at Fairy Bower to recover.
Rob Townsend, life sciences manager at Manly Sealife Sanctuary, was in charge at the scene, along with six members of staff.
He said: “We got a call that a shark, which we originally thought was a mako, was washed up on the beach, so we sent some people to have a look.
“The immediate course of action was to see if it was strong enough to swim away."
He added: "A couple of attempts were made to put it back in the ocean but it kept washing up on the beach. Apparently it washed up four or five times.
"Given the proximity of the pool we though it was a good place to leave it in the interim while we work out what to do.
“Obviously a shark of this size and species, it’s not something we can immediately deal with without a bit of preparation time, to see what we’re dealing with.
“Having put it in the pool, we’ve realised it’s not a mako, it’s a juvenile white shark, so being a threatened species there’s a whole lot more bureaucracy and paperwork to make sure we’re doing everything by the book.”
Hundreds of onlookers had gathered at the scene and daredevil spectators were seen brazenly jumping in to the pool for a once-in-a-lifetime chance to swim with the dangerous predatory animal.
The shark did not display any signs of aggression and was gliding back and forth in the water, occasionally bumping in to the wall.
Witness Kyle Goodman, who has just got back from the Bahamas where he was doing shark research, said the sight wasn’t too peculiar for him - but was “extremely peculiar” for the northern beaches.
“I got a text from my sister and I cried bulls*t, but I had to come down and check she was right.
He said: “This is the only shark, apart from a whaler or a Port Jackson or a wobbegong I’ve seen in this area and I’ve been diving here for three years.”
Amazed onlookers took to social media to post photos.
Alex Martiniuk wrote on Twitter: ‘"Shark in #Manly bower pool right now. She washed up on Manly beach. Beautiful to see such a gorgeous animal."