A great white shark was struggling to survive late Friday as it was stranded along the California shore, and rescuers are pessimistic that the animal will live.
Dozens of people gathered on the cliffs of Pleasure Point in Santa Cruz to watch the 8-foot shark trapped in the shallow reef. Video from KSBW then captured the shark rolling in the incoming tide — bruised and bloodied.
A sheriff's patrol unit used loudspeakers to tell residents to stay clear of the shark, the Santa Cruz Sentinel reported.
Careful rescue attempts were made by the Pelagic Shark Research Foundation.
"We were able to get the shark upright and in the water. It just kind of turned around. It was aimless," foundation executive director Sean Van Sommeran told KSBW.
Van Sommeran said large waves, up to 11 feet, were hurting the shark’s chances to escape to sea.
Later Friday, Van Sommeran said he did not think the shark would survive.
If the fish dies, its carcass likely would be hauled to a California Department of Fish and Wildlife facility, Van Sommeran said.
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