World's Fastest Shark Spotted by a 'Confused' Photographer Off the Coast of Spain

A shortfin mako shark was spotted by a "confused" photographer off the coast of the seaside village of Garraf in the province of Barcelona, Spain.

Reports that emerged on Wednesday, July 13, indicated that an underwater photographer and his companion initially saw the shark as a "large black shadow" moving in the depths of the Balearic Sea.

World's Fastest Shark

(Photo : Photo by Laura College on Unsplash)

The photographer named David Jara, along with Carlos Molina, reported the sighting, with the former saying he was confused after seeing the dark figure first hand, according to GB News, a UK-based news channel.

The duo was on their boat and temporarily thought of jumping into the water but did not continue to do so due to the possible risks.

Marine biologist Claudio Barria said that there is no record of a video made of a shortfin mako in the Spanish Mediterranean, as cited by the UK media outlet.

Also Read: Mako Shark Tracking Off West Coast Reveals 'Impressive' Memory and Navigation

Shortfin Mako Shark

The NOAA Fisheries describes shortfin mako sharks to have very pointed snouts and long gill slits.

In addition, their color appears as dark blue or gray backs, light metallic blue sides, and white undersides.

Often mistaken with longfin mako sharks, the small mako sharks have shorter pectoral fins and eyes, as well as lighter snout color than their counterparts.

The following nicknames or designations are being used to call a shortfin mako shark:

Mako shark
Blue pointer
Bonito shark
Atlantic mako shark
Atlantic shortfin mako shark

The average length of the shark species can reach up to 13 feet long and a lifespan of over 30 years.

According to the non-profit organization Oceana, the predatory shark can weigh at least 1,200 pounds (545 kilograms), highlighting the fact that it is still the world's fastest living shark and fastest fish on the planet.

In the United States, mako sharks can be found in the coastal waters of New England, Mid-Atlantic, and Southeast.

New York Shark Patrol

In late May, a fisherman saw a 10-foot-long blue pointer on the waters of Point Lookout site, located on Long Beach Barrier Island in New York.

The shark sighting, along with others, prompted local authorities to launch a shark patrol operation called the "Hempstead Town Shark Patrol."

The operation allowed lifeguards to both be at their post and ride jet skis to help the concerned authorities.

Egypt Mako Shark Attack

In addition to the waters of the Atlantic Ocean, where the presence of shortfin mako sharks is seen in the coast of East Coast US and Western Europe, the fastest sharks are also seen as far as waters in North Africa.

The latest incident involved the killings of two European tourists by suspected mako sharks.

In early July, Egyptian authorities closed a stretch of the Red Sea coastline from the public after a mako shark attacked and killed an Austrian woman near the Hurghada resort.

An Egyptian health official confirmed the 68-year-old woman lost one of her legs and arms during the shark attack.

She succumbed to her wounds after being brought to the Nile Hospital in Hurghada.

In a separate incident, another shark attack led to the death of a Romanian tourist in the same area.

Both the female tourists were killed three days apart and while swimming in the Sahel Hachich area, according to Egypt's environment ministry, as cited by Euronews.