Overview
- A veteran Scarborough lifeguard was pulled about 5 to 6 feet underwater when a great white grabbed his rescue torpedo on Saturday, and he freed himself from the strap and swam to shore unharmed.
- Scarborough Beach State Park closed to swimming for about an hour after the encounter and has since reopened with new safety steps including drones, a jet ski patrol, lifeguards positioned closer to shore, and limits on how deep swimmers may go.
- Officials report a continuing, significant number of juvenile great whites moving through nearshore waters and sandbar areas, a pattern that New England Aquarium shark expert John Chisholm has reviewed and corroborated.
- Public safety teams are urging beachgoers to heed lifeguards and posted advisories, exit the water when instructed, avoid swimming near schools of fish or seals, and report shark sightings to authorities.
- Researchers and responders say warmer Gulf of Maine waters, abundant baitfish and a recovering seal population are concentrating young sharks closer to shore, and groups using tagging and apps such as OCEARCH and Sharktivity are helping track the animals and guide safety responses.