bbc.com- A large shark was spotted at a Jersey beach, prompting RNLI lifeguards to clear the water and red-flag the beach after a dark grey shark, about 10ft to 12ft (3m to 3.6m) long was seen on Saturday morning.
- A lifeguard paddled over what appeared to be a shark moments before St Ouen’s Bay was closed, with a colleague describing the encounter as extraordinary.
- Surf instructor Jesse Heddercott stated, "Nothing like this has ever happened in Jersey before, so it's pretty crazy."
- Bob Powell, a colleague at Jersey Surf School, humorously remarked that the scene was reminiscent of Jaws, saying he had never seen the sea empty so quickly.
- The shark's species remains unknown, but it was reported to be about 130ft (40m) from the shore.
- Emma Terri, who works at The Line Up beach café, described the incident as "exciting", noting that many were unaware that Jersey had sharks.
- Swimmer Jayne Hiron reflected on the incident, realizing it could have been near her location when the shark was spotted.
- Lifeguard Tom Rolls estimated the shark to be 10 to 12 feet long and described how his colleague kind of punched it as he paddled over it.
A Jersey beach was closed on Saturday after lifeguards spotted a shark estimated to be between 10 and 12 feet long. The sighting occurred around 10:40 a.m. when a lifeguard paddled over the animal, which swam directly beneath his rescue board.
"He even said he kind of punched it as he was paddling, so it must have been really close to the surface," said RNLI lifeguard Tom Rolls. Witnesses described the event as unprecedented, with one surf instructor stating, "Nothing like this has ever happened in Jersey before, so it's pretty crazy."123671617
The lifeguards quickly raised a red flag, evacuating the beach and asking swimmers to leave the water. Tom noted, "Everyone was super calm about it," despite the unusual circumstances. It was the first time in history that Jersey has closed the beach for a shark sighting.
A rescue jet ski patrolled the bay for about half an hour, searching for the shark, which was last seen about 130 feet from the shore. No injuries or incidents were reported, and the beach reopened an hour later after lifeguards confirmed the area was clear.
Emma Terri, who works at a beach café, remarked, “A lot of people didn't realise Jersey had sharks.” The incident sparked excitement among beachgoers, with many expressing surprise and curiosity about the marine life in the area.1213
“The dark grey shark, estimated at 10-12ft, was spotted around 10.40am about 40 metres from the shore, and its species was not known. RNLI lifeguards red-flagged the beach while checking the area, and surf instructor Jesse Heddercott said the animal would have been 'more scared of us than we are of them'.”
Bailiwick Express
