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A 10-foot great white shark was spotted swimming alarmingly close to a group of young swimmers along the Southern California coastline — with the children appearing completely unaware of the predator nearby.
The encounter was captured on drone video by Carlos Gauna, a wildlife photographer known as the “Malibu Artist,” who said it was one of the few times he felt genuinely uneasy while observing sharks.
“I don’t often get nervous, but this was one of those rare instances where I did,” Gauna wrote on Instagram. “The young swimmers had no idea.”
SHARK SIGHTINGS TRIGGER BEACH ALARM AFTER SWIMMER IS BITTEN DURING SUMMER SPIKE
The shark had a large boat propeller strike wound across its back and dorsal fin, Gauna said — which he believes may have affected its behavior.
“My observations showed the shark to be rather active,” he wrote, adding that he watched it breach twice in one day.
“Because of the injury, I don’t know if it’s searching for easier prey or if it’s more alert,” Gauna also wrote. “Either way, this shark does approach humans at a higher frequency. At least by my observations.”
The wild video sparked hundreds of comments — with many viewers saying they would immediately leave the water if they noticed a drone hovering overhead.
“If I’m swimming and see a drone over me, I’m out of there,” one user commented.
Others said the footage showed that great white sharks often investigate people without attacking.
“It just proves they aren’t interested in us,” one viewer wrote. “It went to see what the splashing was and turned away. It still had my heart racing, though.”
Several commenters also suggested that beachgoers should be alerted when sharks are spotted nearby, with some proposing warning lights or audible signals to help swimmers safely exit the water.
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Fox News Digital previously reported that shark experts have urged beachgoers to stay alert this summer as sightings increased along several U.S. coastlines.
Marine biologist Mike Heithaus of Florida International University told Fox News Digital that shark bites remain unusual, even during the busy summer beach season.
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“People should always be aware of local conditions and listen to lifeguards, but shark bites are very rare,” he emphasized.
He recommended that people avoid murky water, that they stay away from areas where large schools of fish are visible and that they avoid places where other people are actively fishing.