Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
Panic as tourists flee shark terror
Panic as killer beast swoops on beach
TERRIFIED tourists flee the sea as a killer shark glides towards them at a popular holiday resort.
The 8ft beast has been stalking the shorelines of Majorca this weekend and worried officials have had to close beaches. This blue shark was pictured swimming up to bathers, including children, at Illetas, near the busy resort of Magaluf. Musician Tim Prottey-jones spotted the giant fish as his wife Angela was about to wade in to the water on Saturday. The 37-year-old, of Barnet, North London, said: “We had been lying at the front getting as hot as we could before we went in the sea. Angela got up and was about to walk in to the sea and I saw this big dark fin. “I started shouting at her telling her not to go in. “Suddenly everyone started running out of the water. People were carrying their children. It was a shock because it was in such shallow water. I threw Angela my phone and she took pictures of it. There was quite a commotion. “I’ve since learnt they can attack people. You just don’t expect this in Spain. “It’s only a small beach as well. We are flying home today but I’ll be keeping an eye out in the water when we go back again.” No one was hurt, but blue sharks are feared to have killed swimmers in the past. Civil Guard and Civil Protection boats and a helicopter were scrambled to look for the beast after it vanished from the area. The hour-long hunt was in vain but it yesterday reappeared a near a beach at Cala Major just a few miles away. It again lurked close to the shoreline and the beach had to be evacuated and closed. A local council spokesman said: “The one seen off Cala Major appears to be the same as that seen at Illetas. It has been kept under close watch since early morning.” The shark, which is normally a deepwater dweller, was later captured at Can Pastilla and found to have a head injury, possibly caused by a harpoon. Experts said that could have disorientated it. Tourists crowded round the stricken animal as it lay on the beach. Vets discovered a hook in its mouth and later put the fish down after it was taken to an aquarium rescue centre. A spokesman said: “During a close examination by experts, a hook was found inside its mouth which had caused it irreversible damage.” The shark was given a sedative to minimise its suffering before being destroyed.