MADRID, June 26 (Xinhua) -- Authorities have captured and killed an eight-foot-long blue shark that caused momentary panic and forced tourists out of the sea at the tourist resort of Magaluf on the Island of Mallorca over the weekend, Spanish media reported on Monday.
The shark was first spotted on Saturday as it swam in shallow water just off the beach at one of the island's most popular tourist spots.
Bathers, including children, rushed out of the sea, while many took photos and videos of the fish, which they posted on social media. The images showed the shark to be just yards from the shoreline.
Although the fish swam off after a few minutes, Civil Guards and Civil Protection workers continued to monitor the beach and when the shark was spotted again on Sunday afternoon, it was captured.
Experts from the nearby Palma Aquarium discovered the shark was suffering from a serious injury which had been caused by a harpoon and it was put down. It is thought that the injury had disoriented the fish, causing it to swim much closer to shore than normal for a blue shark.
Blue sharks are relatively common in the Mediterranean, but are not usually thought to be dangerous for bathers although one is thought to be responsible for biting a bather on the hand in 2016 in the sea off the eastern Spanish town of Elche.
