Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
SHARK TERROR ON HOLS ISLE BEACH
Swimmer cut by 6ft predator Red alert after 3rd sighting
Most places will get some reasonable weather... but there’ll be rain about STEVEN KEATES ON THIS WEEK’S UK WEATHER
A SWIMMER escaped with cuts after a terrifying brush with a sixfoot shark as bathers panicked on a crowded holiday beach.
Luckily she only suffered severe grazing on her arm from the terrifying predator’s rough scales.
The sea was cleared in Majorca – where thousands of tourists were starting their holidays – in the third alert on the Spanish island this year.
Red warning flags were raised on the south coast at Estanys beach in Colònia de Sant Jordi, as horrified families enjoying a weekend swim.
Lifeguards tried to drive the blue shark back into the deep sea by using an aqua scooter and it is believed to have disappeared towards a cove.
The Civil Guard was immediately called in to search for the shark, with a ship from the Maritime Service of the Armed Institute. Experts from the Palma Aquarium were also alerted.
Police said they were shocked a number of people ignored red flags and still went into the water despite the ban. Experts believe the hot weather and tides could be bringing sharks close to the shore, although it is thought the shark that came in on Saturday may have got so close because she was sick.
On June 25, another 6ft blue shark caused panic on the beaches of Calvià and Palma. It later died from injuries. On July 9th a tourist spotted a “pretty big” shark in the water off the beach of Cala Major, but it wasn’t found.
Only four human deaths have ever been linked to a blue shark, which rarely attacks people.
Every year 2.23 million Britons holiday in Majorca, where the temperature yesterday was 28C.
Back in the UK, it was 18C max, as summer gave way to grey skies and chilly showers, forecast to continue into the next week. And there’s no sign of a scorcher. Today and tomorrow will be the best days of the week, before things go downhill from Wednesday. Low pressure lurking in the Atlantic will pull in cold winds in from the north.
Met Office forecaster Steven Keates said: “It’s not a complete washout and most places will get some reasonable weather at times, but there will be rain around so have alternative plans on the back burner.
“Monday and Tuesday are not looking too bad despite a breeze coming in from the north, on Wednesday we have the first Atlantic system coming in.”
Temperatures will hover between 23C and 24C for the next two days, before dipping by Friday, when most places will struggle to hit 21C.