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A woman who disappeared while swimming on Sunday is believed to have encountered a shark along the California coast, officials stated.
The U.S. Coast Guard, in collaboration with the cities of Pacific Grove and Monterey, reported that the missing swimmer, a 55-year-old woman whose identity remains undisclosed, was last seen around noon near Lovers Point in Pacific Grove.
Authorities received statements from two witnesses suggesting that the woman might have been involved in a shark encounter. The Pacific Grove Police Department informed CBS News that the incident is being investigated as a potential shark attack.
A photograph of a great white shark’s fin slicing through the water is shown. (iStock)
Brian Anderson, a commander with the Pacific Grove Police Department, shared with CBS San Francisco that a local swim club, which organizes weekly swims at Lovers Point, raised the alarm. “They called all swimmers back to shore, but one swimmer remained unaccounted for,” he explained.
Coast Guard Petty Officer Christopher Sappey recalled one person’s shark sighting to SF Gate.
A search was being conducted Monday for a missing swimmer along Pacific Grove Beach. Two witnesses reported seeing a shark in the area. (Education Images/Universal Images Group via Getty Images)
“The person who reported the shark sighting claimed they saw a shark breach the water with what appeared to be a human body in its mouth,” he said. “They then witnessed the shark submerge below the waterline without resurfacing.”
The Coast Guard told Fox News Digital that it couldn’t confirm that the case is “correlated with the report of a witnessed shark attack due to insufficient evidence.”
A search effort was launched but by 8 p.m. Sunday, the woman was still missing, the Coast Guard said. Efforts were expected to resume Monday morning.
Lovers Point Beach, as well as McAbee and San Carlos beaches, will remain closed through Tuesday.
A beach advisory will remain in place for Asilomar State Beach, Monterey Municipal Beach, Del Monte Beach and Monterey State Beach through Tuesday, SF Gate reported.
Fox News Digital has reached out to the Pacific Grove Police Department,
