Shark Captured on Video Circling Woman Off Florida Beach

A file photo of a great white shark in Gansbaai, South Africa, on Oct. 19, 2009. (Dan Kitwood/Getty Images)

Jack Phillips

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Jack Phillips is a breaking news reporter who covers a range of topics, including politics, U.S., and health news. A father of two, Jack grew up in California's Central Valley. Follow him on X: https://twitter.com/jackphillips5

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May 30, 2019Updated: May 30, 2019

biggersmaller

A large shark was seen circling a woman near a Florida beach as she was seemingly aware of the looming danger.

Stan Battles saw the shark swimming and captured a video of it from a nearby condo in Panama City.

The shark is seen swimming in the water before swimming out of the sea grass, according to the Panama City News Herald. The shark was doing figure eight motions in the muck and sea grass as the woman swam near it.

“The woman swims directly over this thing,” Battles told the news outlet. “Directly over it.”

The shark then became interested in the swimmer and followed her.

“It was just kind of crazy,” Battles told the Panama City News Herald. “Everyone on the beach, in the water, they had no clue.”

Someone then noticed the danger, yelling “shark” at the swimmer before she began swimming to the shore.

Battles then went down to the beach and showed the video to the woman.

Shark spotted in Panama City on Wednesday close to folks in the water ??

I’m impressed with how calm the lady is! pic.twitter.com/Cgi6sNQZHR

— Andrew Gorton WTOC (@AndrewGortonWx) May 30, 2019

“She never saw it,” Battles said. “She was like, ‘I think I’m done with the ocean.’”

He added: “It was crazy. I’m just glad no one got hurt.”

A woman in the Gulf of Mexico was unknowingly being followed by a shark as she swam in the waters off Panama City Beach. https://t.co/7znKbckrMT

— 67Ecosse (@67Ecosse) May 30, 2019

It’s not clear what kind of shark was seen in the video.

The Orlando Sentinel reported that there have been a number of shark sightings off Florida’s coastline in recent days. A hammerhead shark was spotted near Nokomis Beach near Venice off Florida’s Gulf Coast on May 28.

Massive #shark spotted off Nokomis Beach. Depending on who you talk to the #hammerhead was 8-12 feet. @SRQCountyGov lifeguards closed beach until he/she swam away. ? Video courtesy: Adam Gebel pic.twitter.com/MScn0bPIHW

— Michael Paluska (@MichaelPaluska) May 28, 2019