Tourists on the French Rivera have been banned from swimming after a shark alert, at the height of the holiday season tourists visiting the popular French Riviera have been left unable to enjoy the waters after a shark sighting by lifeguards patrolling in a motorboat spotted a creature measuring more than seven feet long which in turn prompted a swimming ban. Michel Cagnaire, who is in charge of public safety in the resort of Cagnes-sur-Mer, near Nice said: “We were taking no chances and issued the swimming ban immediately.”
Other resorts in the area including Villeneuve, Loubet and St. Laurent-du-Var raised their red ‘no swimming’ flags as people in boats telephoned warnings about the suspected shark, which had a large dorsal fin and a white belly after been seen swimming some 150 feet off the coast. Its closeness to the shore prompted fears that it might be wounded or ill, and might start attacking holidaymakers.
However chief veterinary officer for the area, Veronique Vienet, questioned the hysteria, saying that the creature might actually be a large dolphin, stating that there has only been one fatal shark attack in French coastal waters since the 1840s. Also last July there was another shark scare at Antibes, but the creature turned out to be a harmless ocean sunfish which only eats jellyfish.
The ban has now been lifted however tourists are still cautious.
