San Diego

Silver Strand State Beach Under Advisory Due to Shark Sighting

Lifeguards said a surfer spotted whatโ€™s believed to be a 10-foot shark in the waters of the beach at Coronado Island at around 10 a.m. Saturday

Lifeguards in Coronado issued an advisory Saturday after a shark sighting was reported at Silver Strand State Beach.

According to Sgt. W. Jacob Pflepsen III, Lifeguard Supervisor I, a man spotted the shark at around 8:10 a.m. while surfing between Tower No. 1 and Tower No 10, about 80 yards from the shore.

The witness told another surfer about the sighting, and the two paddled back to shore. They were not harmed.

Officials with California State Parks, the agency that oversees Silver Strand State Beach, were informed of the shark sighting and issued an advisory for the beach just before 11 a.m.

"It is determined that the species of the shark is predatory towards humans and may be a threat," Pflepsen said in a press release Saturday afternoon.

The shark was described as having a dorsal fin that measured between 12 and 16 inches. The surfer who spotted the shark is a former commercial fisherman, California State Parks officials said.

As a precaution, the beach will be under as 24-hour advisory until at least 8:10 a.m. Sunday. California State Parks officials said signs have been posted within a 1-mile radius of the area where the shark was seen.

Additionally, rescue watercraft have been patrolling the area.

"It is important to remember that sharks are a natural resource of Californiaโ€™s coastline and shark attacks are rare in Southern California waters," Pflepsen added in his press release.

Silver Strand State Beach is located on Coronado Island. On June 8, another shark sighting at the beach also led to lifeguards issuing an advisory. In that case, the shark was also spotted by surfers.

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