LOS ANGELES, Calif. — KTLA viewer June Emerson made a startling discovery while reviewing the photos she took during a visit to Manhattan Beach near Los Angeles last week.
Among the images is one that shows her 12-year-old son Quinn and his friend in front of a breaking wave and what appears to be a rather sizable shark swimming in the waters near them.
“It was quite a shock to see,” Emerson told KTLA. “Many local surfers and lifeguards have seen this and believe it to be a shark. Of course, I told my kids it was dolphin, as we live at the beach and are in the waters here almost daily.”
Sightings of great white sharks are not uncommon near Manhattan Beach, however beach officials told KTLA there have been more reported shark sightings this year than they can recall in recent memory.
However, officials were unable to confirm if the increase in sightings is due to an increase in shark populations or if iPhones, GoPros and the internet are making it easier to capture shark encounters.