A dark fin emerging from the water a few meters from the coast, then the sudden movement in the waves near the reef. In Grottammare, on the Marche coast near San Benedetto del Tronto, the morning quickly transformed into an unusual scene that attracted onlookers, pointed phones and inevitable moments of tension. The protagonist of the episode was a female blue shark about two meters long, which got stuck between the breakwater rocks after getting too close to the coast. The animal, visibly in difficulty, was spotted in the waters in front of the beach and the report was immediately sent to the Port Authority.
The recovery of the blue shark and the return to the open sea
The operators of the 1st Underwater Unit of the Coast Guard intervened, coordinated by the Ancona Operations Department. The divers reached the blue shark with a dinghy, checked the conditions of the shark and organized a delicate recovery to avoid further stress to the animal. The situation became complicated when the shark got stuck between the artificial reefs. At that point the operators harnessed the blue shark and slowly freed it from the obstacles, then accompanying it beyond the breakwater barrier to the deeper waters.
The images of the surgery quickly ended up on social media, going viral within a few hours. First panic, then curiosity: many present approached the shore to film the recovery of the shark, while the Coast Guard invited everyone to remain calm. According to what was explained by the Harbor Office, the animal’s behavior would be linked to the search for food. Blue sharks, despite being pelagic sharks accustomed to the open sea, can occasionally approach the coasts chasing fish or cephalopods.
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Because the blue shark is not dangerous for humans
The blue shark – Prionace glauca, also known as the blue shark, is one of the most widespread species in the Mediterranean. It has a tapered body, long pectoral fins and a distinctive deep blue back. Although it can exceed three meters in length, it is considered a species generally harmless to humans.
Experts also stress that sightings in recent days along the Italian coast do not indicate a shark invasion. The greater media attention and the immediate diffusion of videos on social media simply contribute to making encounters that have actually always happened more visible. Indeed, the presence of these species often represents a positive signal for the marine ecosystem. The blue shark, in fact, is today a protected species in the Mediterranean, threatened above all by excessive fishing and the progressive decline of populations.
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