A sailor caught the moment he spotted a menacing-looking shape swimming near the surface of the water towards their boat in the bay of a hugely popular holiday island
14:05, 29 Mar 2026Updated 14:08, 29 Mar 2026
A great white shark was allegedly spotted near a popular part of Spain
A chilling video caught the moment a large shark, supposedly bearing a striking resemblance to a great white, was spotted in a popular holiday spot.
The big fish shocked sailors who were taking part in a race in the Bay of Palma, Spain. The creature was initially thought to be a mako shark, one of the fastest known shark species which can reach speeds of nearly 50mph in bursts. Marine biologist Gader Muntaner after speaking to the man who caught the viral video – Jacopo Rena – and analysing more images of the animal, she believed it was a baby great white.
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In February this year Spanish scientists confirmed a shark which had been unintentionally captured close to Alicante on the Costa Blanca in April 2023 was a baby great white. It was described at the time as being nearly seven foot long and weighing between 80 and 90 kilos.
Gader said: “After analysing several images taken by Jacopo of the shark spotted in the Bay of Palma, and talking with him, we can offer some more information. He said the animal was a bit longer than the board he was on which was 7ft 2ins so we’re estimating it was around 8ft 2ins.
“From its characteristics, robust body, colour pattern, keel, caudal fin, and type of behaviour, everything’s pointing to the fact it could be a baby great white.
The supposed shark was spotted in the Bay of Palma(Image: Getty Images)
“After many years working with this species of shark in Guadalupe Island, Mexico, I’ve always dreamed about seeing one in the Mediterranean and hopefully one day of being able to say that shark populations are recovering. But an isolated incident like this doesn’t mean we’re there yet.”
She added: “Recovering them is key to maintaining the balance of the marine ecosystem, so any sighting, of any type of shark, is always a good piece of news.”
The latest shark sighting off Majorca took place during the 55th SAR Princess Sophia Trophy, a global benchmark in Olympic sailing. The annual sailing regatta brings together over 1,000 boats and 1,500 sailors in more than ten Olympics glasses. It started this year on March 27 and is due to run until April 4.
The shark caught by tuna fisherman in April 2023, around 12 miles off the Costa Blanca holiday resorts of Denia and Javea, and classified as a baby great white last month, is one of the rare confirmed sightings of the species in Spanish seas in decades.
Another group of fisherman accidentally caught great white over five meters in length near Bolonia Beach in Tarifa in June 2015.
Great white sharks are critically endangered in the Med, where the population has declined by an estimated 70 per cent in 40 years, with illegal fishing contributing to their vast decline.
Most of the sharks which have caused panic on Costa beaches in the last few years after coming in close to holidaymakers swimming in shallow water have been blue sharks or tintoreras.
A tintorera was blamed for an attack on a holidaymaker in Elche near Alicante in July 2016. The 40-year-old victim was rushed to hospital and given stitches to a wound in his hand. They have also been spotted in recent years off beaches including Cala Domingos in Majorca and the Costa del Sol resort of Fuengirola.