Did swimmer REALLY chase away shark with a MOP? Here's the truth behind viral video
A scary clip on social media shows a swimmer attacking a 'shark' with a mop and chasing it away from a beach full of children. The video, which was shared on social media by an onlooker, shows the alleged creature swimming toward a beach full of children. The reported incident happened just off the coast of Marmaris in southwest Turkey, and the alleged shark's fins can be seen sticking out in the now-viral video. In the video, the shark appears to be circling around locals and visitors who are standing in the shallow water. Many people can be seen pointing in horror, as others dive into the water while the monster swirls around their feet.
In an odd attempt to save them, an onlooker approaches the shark and begins striking it on the head with a floor mop. The man who was recording the clip can be heard laughing as the man repeatedly whacks the object on the head of the marine creature. After a few hits, the animal seems to swim away from the crowd. The clip continues to play for a few more seconds while the alleged shark's fin and tail got captured in the footage.
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However, according to The Sun, Marmaris officials afterward said they were certain it wasn't a shark and made fun of the man who was swimming in the water while carrying a mop. The officials claimed, "The fish seen on the public beach and thought to be a shark was a Mediterranean Garfish. According to experts, it is a harmless animal. That's why you don't need to take a mop with you when you go into the sea." The Mediterranean Sea is said to be home to 47 different species of sharks, including the blue shark, big hammerhead, and great white shark, even though it wasn't a shark on this particular occasion. The Great White is the most dangerous, but it is not frequently seen.
📹| The shark, which was seen on the Marmaris coast, was removed by the citizens "by hitting its head with a floor mop". pic.twitter.com/xlwRohbsD4
— EHA News (@eha_news) July 4, 2022
The latest clip comes soon after two women were killed in shark attacks in Egypt’s Red Sea, south of the city of Hurghada. After the shark attack that left 68-year-old Austrian Elisabeth Sauer dead on Friday, July 1, a Romanian woman in her 40s was killed by a shark on July 3. Both attacks happened within 600 meters of each other, off the coast of Sahl Hasheesh.