Scary close call for swimmers as shark spotted off Lorne jetty
A great white shark has been spotted lurking in the water in Lorne, near children who were jumping off the pier.
A frightening close call occurred at about 6pm on Monday when Ben Anderson was fishing off a pier and spotted the three-metre shark in the water below.
He said several young children who had been jumping into the water watched stunned at the sight of the shark as it glided through the water.
It is not known if it was chasing food or had come closer in than usual due to changing currents, but swimmers in the area were certainly hoping it would be a one off visit.
“Most people got out of the water pretty quickly, except one couple that came close to it,” Mr Anderson said.
“They were pretty traumatised.
Travis Dowling from Fisheries Victoria said a shark sighting off the Lorne jetty or other jetties in the area were rare.
“When you do see them or when they are spotted, make sure you remove yourself from the water, you report it to police and you keep yourself and your family safe,” he said.
The Lorne Pier is a popular spot and well known as the starting point for the annual pier to pub ocean swim, so everyone here’s hoping the shark will keep its distance for the rest of the summer.
