Bathers at Barril beach, Tavira, were told to get out of the water - and quick - on Monday afternoon but only ‘as a precaution’ after a shark's fin was spotted, cutting through the shallow waters of the Ria Formosa.
Bathers contacted the on duty life guards who in turn alerted the Maritime Police but searches failed to locate the predator. The beach was full of holidaymakers and the red ‘no swimming’ flag was rapidly hoisted.
"The Maritime Police patrolled for two and a half hours in the sea along the beach, to see if they could find anything. They did not and the green flag was raised again," said Commander Cortes Lopes.
The fin did not necessarily have to be attached to a shark as other sea creatures have similar looking appendages. This can lead to confusion - and blind panic in faint-hearted swimmers.
The bathers gingerly got back into the sea for a final swim before wading ashore and heading home with all limbs still attached.
Comments
I get out plenty. I just find in-factual reporting in this age to be the norm. To a lot of people the word shark strikes the fear of God into them and watching Sherlock Holmes is hardly going to appease their mind. Put down the TV remote and get off the sofa...it's a wild world out there.
Quoting Jack Reacher: can't we have a laugh anymore Jack, please lighten up a bit...
I know that you can not discount this as a bull shark sighting as nobody actually saw what it was. Whether or not the presence of a bull shark is improbable, it can not be discounted. I think Sherlock Holmes had something to say on this...
The point is, this item clearly was not meant to be serious and you have missed the point entirely, 'need to get out more,' as they say in the Eye.
Because if you knew anything about marinelife you would know that the Bull Shark's range doesn't include Europe, nor Ria Formosa. Also lifting the shark picture from Wikipedia seems a little lazy.
My sense of humour failed once, too...
Imagine if the headlines read Lion walks along track in the Serengetti...