Lifeguard dragged underwater by shark at Scarborough Beach, Maine

A lifeguard on shark-patrol at Scarborough Beach State Park was pulled about six feet underwater on Saturday afternoon when a shark seized his rescue device, officials said. The rope of the device was tied around the lifeguard’s chest, and he was able to free himself and swim to shore without injury.

"I thought I was caught by the propeller of a boat because that's the only thing I could think of until I realized there was no boat," the lifeguard, Greg Wilfert, told a local TV station. He added that the incident was "frightening."

Harbormaster and marine resource officer Daryen Granata confirmed that the beach was closed for about an hour after the encounter and then reopened. The park’s safety team uses drones, jet skis and other equipment to monitor shark activity, and Wilfert said sharks tend to avoid the jet ski.

The incident follows a recent surge in white-shark sightings near Scarborough and Higgins beaches, with more than a dozen juveniles, 6 to 12 feet long, recorded in a 48-hour period. New England Aquarium adjunct scientist John Chisholm attributed the increase to warmer waters making the region more hospitable for sharks, noting that the numbers are comparable to those seen off Cape Cod.

Authorities continue to advise beachgoers to treat the ocean as a wild environment, avoid splashing, stay away from seals and schools of fish, swim in groups and follow lifeguard instructions. The park will remain on a red- and yellow-alert status until shark activity subsides, with police emphasizing that public safety remains the top priority.