Overview
- The Saturday encounter occurred when a shark seized a lifeguard’s rescue torpedo and pulled him about five to six feet under before he freed himself and swam ashore without injury.
- Local authorities and biologists report the nearshore area has seen more than a dozen juvenile great white sharks, roughly six to 12 feet long, moving through sandbar and shallow-water areas.
- Scarborough Beach State Park was closed to swimming for about an hour after the incident and town teams have since increased patrols with jet skis, drones and closer lifeguard positions to monitor the water.
- Officials urged swimmers to heed lifeguards, avoid swimming near schools of fish, seals or bird-feeding areas, and report sightings to public-safety personnel.
- Experts say the sightings fit a seasonal pattern linked to warmer Gulf of Maine waters and prey concentrations, which has led to more local monitoring and could prompt further short-term beach restrictions if sightings continue.