A surfer was killed in a shark attack off a northern California beach, state park officials said on Saturday.
The 26-year-old man was surfing off Manresa State Beach on the northern end of Monterey Bay at around 1.30pm when he was attacked by an unknown shark species, the California State Parks said in a statement.
The victim’s name has not been released. Santa Cruz sheriff’s deputies notified the man’s family.
The water one mile north and south of the attack will be closed for five days. Signs were posted warning beachgoers about the attack. The sign said the attack happened within 100 yards of the shore.
“State Parks expresses its deepest sympathy to the family of the victim,” the statement said.
Local officials have recently been closing the beach every day between 11am to 5pm, to deter a surge of visitors to the coastline during the coronavirus crisis.
Monterey Bay drone photographer Eric Mailander told KRON-TV he has been observing dozens of great white sharks swimming near the shoreline in recent days. He said he counted 15 sharks while out on his boat Saturday morning.
None were showing signs of aggressive predatory behavior, Mailander told the TV station.