Jersey beach closed after shark sighting, first incident

A popular beach on the island of Jersey was evacuated and closed for nearly an hour on Saturday, August 1, following multiple sightings of a large shark. The incident at St Ouens Bay marked the first time in Jersey's history that a beach has been closed due to a shark sighting.

RNLI lifeguards used loudspeakers to order swimmers out of the water after receiving reports from both a colleague and members of the public. One lifeguard, identified as Nick, had a close encounter with the animal while on a rescue board at approximately 10:40 a.m. He reported that the shark was so close to the surface he "kind of punched it" as he paddled. The creature was described as darkish grey and between 10 and 12 feet long before it swam quickly away.

As the species could not be immediately identified, lifeguards made the precautionary decision to red flag the beach, effectively closing it. The RNLI confirmed that a lifeguard spotted the suspected shark, prompting the closure while checks were made. A jet ski was used to survey the area, and after finding no further sign of the animal, the beach was reopened roughly 45 minutes later. No injuries were reported.

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