Shark Sighting Prompts Beach Evacuation in Newport

A great white shark was spotted menacingly circling surfers in Newport Beach on Thursday, leading to an urgent evacuation order from local authorities.

This unsettling event took place at West Newport Beach, near 35th Street, forcing officials to clear the beach extending a mile both east and west of the last sighting of the shark.

The 8-foot-long shark was identified at around 1:15 p.m., prompting the Newport Beach Fire Department to close the beach for a minimum of four hours. This closure included a request for helicopters and patrol boats to monitor the waters.

Reports of sightings also reached the Newport Beach Police Department and the Orange County Sheriff’s Department.

“Shark sightings along our coastline are uncommon; usually, these animals are just passing through,” the fire department noted in a social media update. They emphasized, perhaps a bit cautiously, that the public should refrain from entering the water until it’s announced safe.

The beach was reopened later at 5:45 p.m.

This incident comes on the heels of a serious injury sustained by a surfer in Northern California who was bitten by a shark on both legs while surfing near Big River Beach in Mendocino Headlands State Park just last week.