Hammerhead Shark Spotted Off San Diego Coast, Second Sighting In 2 Days Forces Extension Of Advisory Warning

A 6- to 8-foot hammerhead shark was spotted off the San Diego coast Sunday, the second such sighting in two days, leading to an extension of an advisory warning for beachgoers. The advisory was issued after lifeguards ordered the closure of beach area between La Jolla Cove and Scripps Pier after an 8- to 10-foot hammerhead shark was seen there Saturday by kayakers.

On Sunday afternoon, a kayaker fishing off the La Jolla coast reported seeing a hammerhead shark, which allegedly followed him while he paddled toward the shore. The lifeguards also reportedly saw the shark swim toward the kayaker before suddenly turning back and returning to deeper waters, Lee Swanson, San Diego fire rescue spokesman, said, according to the Associated Press. Swanson added that the stretch will remain under a shark advisory, following the latest sighting. However, the beaches remained open on Sunday.

The lifeguards had initially closed the beach Saturday after an apparently aggressive behavior by the shark and issued an advisory to beachgoers. The stretch was reopened Sunday morning, but with a continued advisory. Just minutes before the advisory was set to expire, the lifeguards confirmed the second sighting.

Meanwhile, California State Parks also issued a warning Sunday, requesting people to stay away from the waters in Morro Bay, about 317 miles from La Jolla Cove, after a shark bit a female surfer’s board. The woman was able to return to the shore unharmed from the sub-adult white shark, estimated to be 6 feet long, KSBY, a local NBC News affiliate, reported Sunday.

Two weeks back, a shark sighting off California’s Orange County coast, about 80 miles from La Jolla Cove, led to the temporary closure of beaches in Newport and Huntington. The 8-foot shark hit the surfboard of an off-duty lifeguard, who survived without sustaining any injuries.

According to the data from the International Shark Attack File at the Florida Museum of Natural History at the University of Florida, there have been 23 shark attacks in the United States this year, USA Today reported in July.