TWO more Spanish holiday beaches have been closed following new shark sightings.
Lifeguards ordered bathers out of the sea at Melenara Beach in Gran Canaria for a second day after a police drone spotted a hammerhead shark shortly after it was reopened yesterday morning.
Lifeguards ordered bathers out of the water at Melenara beach on Gran Canaria’s east coast for a second day runningSolarpix
SolarpixA police drone spotted the hammerhead shark lurking off the beach[/caption]
SolarpixA search for the shark in the area using jet skis failed to locate it[/caption]
Three beaches have been shut over the weekend after shark sightingsSolarpix
The bathing ban on Sunday afternoon was extended to neighbouring Salinetas beach.
And around two hours later, lifeguards hoisted the red flag at a third spot – San Augustin beach in the south of the island – after a tourist snapped the tell-tale fin of a shark sticking out of the water.
It was not immediately clear if the big fish was the same one spotted at Melenara beach around 5pm on Saturday and led to the first of the beach closures.
It briefly reopened on Sunday morning before the second closure at 1pm after local police drones spotted a shark close to Taliarte Port next to Melenara Beach.
The red flag was also hoisted at Salinetas beach just south.
Local police confirmed it was a hammerhead shark – the same species that sparked panic on Saturday as it appeared near the shoreline.
Its size was initially calculated at just under 7ft – although the second drone sighting pointed to it being up to 10ft.
The beach at San Augustin, 20 miles south, was also closed after a new shark sighting.
It was reportedly spotted by a tourist near a restaurant overlooking the sea called Balcon de San Augustin. Red Cross officials later confirmed they had also seen it.
It was not picked up again despite efforts by police and other officials to locate and track it.
The beach is expected to reopen again on Monday – unless council chiefs make a last-minute U-turn.
It is not clear whether the shark seen further south is a hammerhead, which can grow up to 20ft in length and weigh up to 1,000 pounds, or another species.
Most hammerhead species are considered harmless to humans and few attacks have been recorded, but they are aggressive hunters and their size and fierceness make them potentially harmless.
Young girls could be heard screaming as the shark that caused panic at Melenara Beach on Saturday afternoon approached the shoreline at speed with its telltale fin sticking out of the water.
Footage from the scene showed youngsters running for safety as the shark swam towards the shoreline before turning back at the last minute after thrashing around in the water.
Another man was pictured with a child in his arms from the safety of the sand as he watched it come towards them.
A council spokesman for Telde Council said: “It’s important people stay calm and follow the instructions of the lifeguards and the authorities.”
A young girl who was in the water when the shark appeared told a local TV station: “The lifeguard started blowing his whistle and indicating everyone should get out of the water and I looked round and saw its fin.”
A hammerhead shark stalked the shoreline at Melenara BeachSolarpix
Footage showed youngsters running for safety as the shark swam towards the beachSolarpix
SolarpixMelenara beach in Gran Canaria was shut for two days in a row[/caption]
Lifeguards searching for the shark on Gran Canaria’s east coastSolarpix
A friend added: “We saw the fin which was about seven inches out of the water and we began to move as fast as we could back towards the beach.”
Last month, tourists and locals were banned from going into the sea following a shark sighting off a Menorcan beach.
Coastguards hoisted the red flag and called the Spanish equivalent of 999 after the tell-tale fin of a seven foot blue shark or tinterora was seen above the water line.
The alarm was raised around 3.30pm on May 6 at the popular beach of Arenal d’en Castell – the same place another shark was spotted in June 2018 when swimmers were banned from entering the water.
The shark sighting was described at the time as the first so far this year near a Costa beach.
Blue sharks rarely bite humans but have been implicated in several biting incidents, four of which are said to have ended fatally.
A blue shark was blamed for an attack on a holidaymaker in Elche near Alicante in July 2016.
The 40-year-old victim was rushed to hospital and given stitches to a wound in his hand.
First aiders described the bite as “large” and said he had come out of the sea with blood streaming from the injury.
In June last year, a 7ft blue shark sparked panic off the Costa Blanca beach of Aguamarina in Orihuela Costa south of Alicante.
Bathers were filmed trying to run to safety through waist-high water as it neared the shoreline.
Lifeguards blew on their whistles to warn locals and holidaymakers about the big fish and urged them to get out of the sea as quickly as possible.
The shark washed up dead the following day by rocks at La Caleta Beach in Cabo Roig, a couple of miles away.
After the weekend sightings in Gran Canaria, biologist Asier Furundarena insisted there was no cause for alarm.
He said: “People should respect the instructions they receive from lifeguards and the local police or other authorities present and stay calm because absolutely nothing is going to happen to them.
“They should also enjoy the moment they’re witnessing because it’s a privilege to see species like these that are endangered in other parts of the world and here can seek refuge.”
What are hammerhead sharks & are they dangerous?
HAMMERHEAD sharks are a distinctive and fascinating group of sharks known for their unique hammer-shaped heads, called cephalofoils.
There are nine species of hammerhead sharks, with the most well-known being the great hammerhead, scalloped hammerhead, and smooth hammerhead.
Hammerhead sharks are generally not considered highly dangerous to humans. While they are large, powerful predators, they are not known to be aggressive toward people.
Documented attacks on humans by hammerhead sharks are extremely rare. When such incidents do occur, they are usually cases of mistaken identity or provoked situations.
Hammerheads are typically shy and avoid humans. They may show curiosity but are unlikely to display aggressive behaviour unless threatened or provoked.
Many divers and swimmers encounter hammerhead sharks without any issues. In fact, these encounters are often sought after by divers due to the sharks’ impressive appearance and the relatively low risk they pose.
Despite not being typically dangerous, caution should always be exercised around any large marine animal.