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A massive great white shark has shocked locals after it was seen “bumping” in the water off a popular beach before washing ashore.
The distressed shark was spotted off the coast of Kingscliff Beach, just south of the New South Wales-Queensland border, about 6am on Monday.
Dozens of locals flocked to the shore to watch the four-metre shark struggle in the water as the waves slowly pushed it towards dry land.
Some locals said the beast appeared “sick” and was euthanized on the spot before being slaughtered. taken from the beach in the bucket of a skid steer.
A four-metre great white shark surprised locals after it washed ashore at popular surf spot Kingscliff Beach, northern New South Wales, on Monday morning (pictured)
One of the response teams sent to the scene was from Sea World after the Gold Park theme park was notified of the shark’s condition.
“Unfortunately, the shark was in poor condition after stranding and Sea World’s veterinary team administered medication to make the shark comfortable before it passed away,” a Sea World spokesperson told Daily Mail Australia.
“The shark appeared to have underlying health issues and the agitation behavior observed in shallow water prior to beaching was not typical for the species.
“While there were no unusual marks on the shark, the NSW Department of Fisheries will conduct a necropsy to try to identify the cause of the stranding.”
Sea World shark bay supervisor Siobhan Houlihan said the shark’s lack of injuries meant there was “something sinister” affecting it from within.
“She could be sick or she could have eaten something she shouldn’t have,” Houlihan told the ABC.
NSW Agriculture Minister Tara Moriarty said the state government will try to “determine the cause of death”.
Moriarty also urged beachgoers to be “sharksmart” and track shark activity with the app of the same name.
Lifeguards had been keeping an eye on the great white shark after it was seen struggling in the water.
“This morning we were notified that there was a sick shark swimming close to shore,” said northern New South Wales lifeguard coordinator Scott McCartney.
The mature female shark was seen moments earlier struggling to fight the incoming waves and appeared “sick” before becoming stranded.
It was euthanized by veterinarians on site before being removed by a skid steer (pictured) to be transported and examined by the NSW Department of Primary Industries.
While huge sharks can be seen in deeper waters, seeing one sick and stranded on shore was “definitely a first” for McCartney.
It comes just two months after an Italian backpacker filmed himself being attacked by a large shark off the coast of 1770 Beach, north of Bundaberg.
The distressing footage showed Matteo Mariotti, 20, snorkelling off the picturesque beach before he was bitten on the leg and blood began staining the water.
His diving instructor pulled him to safety before rushing him to hospital, where he underwent surgery and unfortunately had to have his leg amputated.