A shark knocked a surfer off of his board off the coast of San Clemente Monday, prompting authorities to close the water to swimmers and others on the busy Memorial Day holiday.
According to city officials, the ocean water was closed off late Monday morning “due to confirmed aggressive shark behavior” in the water in the vicinity of T-Street Beach.
The beaches remained open, but water access was closed until at least 8 p.m. Monday, “pending no additional shark sightings,” according to the city.
City Councilman Chris Duncan told CBS2 that surfers reported the activity to lifeguards, who reviewed surveillance footage and found video of the surfer being knocked off his board.
According to CBS2, officials from the Long Beach State University shark lab were consulted, and they determined the culprit was likely a juvenile great white shark.
No injuries were reported.
Updated 6:29 p.m. May 27, 2024
— City News Service