A 71-year-old lifeguard and park manager in Maine had an unexpected encounter with a great white shark off the coast over the weekend. According to eyewitness accounts, Greg Wilfert was swimming around the buoys at Scarborough Beach with a few other lifeguards when he was pulled five to six feet underwater by the shark.
Wilfert initially thought his rescue device had gotten caught on a boat, but soon realized it was actually the shark that had grabbed him. He managed to remove the strap from the device and swim back to shore without further incident. In an interview with WHDH, Wilfert described the experience, saying "I thought a boat had come by and grabbed my rescue can because I got pulled under, and I realized right away that it was not a boat, that it had to have been a great white."
After reaching shore safely, Wilfert took charge as a lifeguard and warned beachgoers about the presence of the shark. He had them exit the water and shut down the beach for an hour as a precautionary measure.
In light of the incident, Wilfert has taken steps to ensure public safety by having jet skis and drones monitor the area for other great white sharks. With recent increases in great white activity in the region, Wilfert is taking his encounter seriously and advising others to do the same.
Wilfert's experience serves as a reminder of the importance of vigilance when it comes to marine wildlife, particularly in areas with known shark activity.
NTC Report coverage is based on reporting from the original publisher.
View original reporting →
