Shark pulls lifeguard underwater at Maine state park
A lifeguard at Scarborough Beach State Park freed himself after a shark grabbed a rescue torpedo and pulled him 5 to 6 feet below the surface, officials said.
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A lifeguard was pulled underwater during a shark attack over the weekend at Scarborough Beach State Park in Maine, prompting a beach closure.
“During the incident, a lifeguard was operating a rescue torpedo in the water when a white shark grabbed the rescue device and pulled the lifeguard underwater,” the Town of Scarborough Maine Harbor Master & Marine Resources said in a press release.
The lifeguard was pulled approximately 5 to 6 feet below the surface before freeing himself from a strap attached to the rescue device and swimming safely back to shore, officials said.
(Getty Images/Chase Dekker Wild-Life Images)
Scarborough Beach State Park was closed to swimming for approximately one hour after the encounter while lifeguards and public safety personnel assessed the situation and watched the surrounding waters.
Officials said the reported shark activity was reviewed and corroborated by shark expert John Chisholm with the New England Aquarium.
Shark activity remains an ongoing concern near Scarborough Beach State Park and Higgins Beach, with multiple sharks recently observed moving through nearshore waters and sandbar areas.
Beachgoers are being urged to pay close attention to lifeguards and posted advisories, exit the water immediately when instructed and avoid swimming near seals, schools of fish or areas where birds are actively feeding.
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