A woman who went missing while swimming on Sunday may have encountered a shark off the California coast, authorities said.
The unidentified 55-year-old swimmer was reported missing at Lovers Point in Pacific Grove around noon, the U.S. Coast Guard said in a joint statement Sunday with the cities of Pacific Grove and Monterey.
Two witnesses told authorities the woman may have been exposed to a shark. The Pacific Grove Police Department told CBS News the incident is being treated as a possible shark attack.
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“We have a swim club that swims around Lovers Point every week,” Pacific Grove Police Department Commander Brian Anderson told CBS San Francisco. “They called all the swimmers immediately, but there was one swimmer who hadn’t come back to report.”
Coast Guard Petty Officer Christopher Sappey recalled the shark sighting to SF Gate.
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People are searching for a missing swimmer at Pacific Grove Beach on Monday. Two witnesses reported seeing a shark in the area.
“People who reported shark sightings claimed they saw a shark burst out of the water with what appeared to be a human body in its mouth,” he said. “They then witnessed the shark dive below the waterline and not resurface.”
The Coast Guard told Fox News Digital that it “cannot confirm this case is related to reports of a shark attack due to insufficient evidence.”
The Coast Guard said a search had been launched but the woman was still missing as of 8pm on Sunday. Work is expected to resume Monday morning.
Lovers Point Beach, McCabe Beach and San Carlos Beach will be closed until Tuesday.
Beach warnings are in effect through Tuesday for Asilomar State Beach, Monterey Municipal Beach, Del Monte Beach and Monterey State Beach, SF Gate reported.
Fox News Digital has contacted the Pacific Grove Police Department.
Original source of the article: Swimmer missing after possible shark encounter on California coast during group outing
