A SWIMMER is missing and feared dead after being mauled by a shark in the Mediterranean Sea off the Israeli coast.
Clips posted to social media show a diver flailing around in the water just off Hadera, north-west Israel, in front of horrified crowds.
The huge shark appeared in shallow waters near Olga Beach on Monday
It swam very near to paddlers, prompting them to flee the water screaming@JNS_org / X
A swimmer could be seen thrashing around with the water around him turning red@JNS_org / X
Earlier clips capture the shark swimming amongst terrified paddlers in shallow water.
People in the sea, including children, could be seen rushing back to the shore and screaming in terror – moments before the attack.
The beast then headed further back out and began mauling a swimmer.
The diver could be seen thrashing around as the water around him foamed red – apparently with his blood.
People watched in horror from the beach as fins and limbs splashed around – but could do nothing to stop the savaging.
Footage uploaded to social media shows helicopters scanning the water for the missing diver.
Police have closed the beach while the rescue mission continues.
An eyewitness told Channel 12 News: “I saw the diver in the depths of the water, he shouted: ‘I’m bitten, I’m bitten,’ and waved his hands in the air.
“After a few minutes, sharks bit him – and suddenly he disappeared.’
Channel 12 News also reported that the shark later attacked a rescue diver.
The Hadera Municipality Coastal Department said it was “conducting searches by jet ski to locate the diver and will continue to update as developments occur”.
It added: “We urge the public traveling in the area to avoid entering the water and contact with the sharks.”
Emergency teams received a call at 3:02pm for the attack at Olga Beach.
A statement from the Israel Police said: “A short time ago, officers from the Hadera Police Station and the Maritime Police were dispatched to the Hadera stream following reports from citizens who claimed they saw a shark attacking a diver in the water.
A huge rescue mission is underway to search for the missing diver@JNS_org / X
@JNS_org / XShark attacks in Israel are incredibly rare[/caption]
“Forces are en route, but no casualties have been located so far.”
Dusky and Sandbar sharks often visit the area between November and May, but are not known to attack humans.
The Society for the Protection of Nature in Israel has reacted to the shark attack by saying it called on the state four years ago to regulate behaviour in waters sharks visit.
It said: “Every winter, a unique phenomenon occurs in Israel in which sharks and rays gather at the outlet of the warm waters of the power stations.
“In the case of such a fascinating and public-attracting phenomenon, it would be appropriate to take conservation and safety measures for the public, but over the years, chaos has developed in the area.”
Shark attacks in Israel are extremely rare.
In 2013, a shark got trapped in a fishing cage and bit when people tried to remove it.
Before that, the only recorded incident was during the British Mandate period, when a police officer was attacked off Tel Aviv’s coast.
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