Overview
- Lifeguards at Sunset Beach reported a 9- to 10-foot great white feeding on a sea lion carcass Wednesday around 10 a.m., prompting an immediate 48-hour water closure.
- The closed zone spans one mile in both directions from North Pacific Avenue and 12th Street, with lifeguards posting signs and urging people to check in before entering the area.
- This is the second closure in a week after an estimated 10-foot shark sighting on April 24 paused a pro surf contest near the Huntington Beach Pier.
- Officials described the behavior as aggressive near shore, and it remains unclear if this 10-foot shark is the same one seen during the surf event.
- Shark bites in California are rare, with state data showing fewer than 250 incidents and under 20 deaths since 1950, but active feeding near shore leads authorities to act quickly.