WATCH Massive shark stuns tourists off Costa del Sol coast
The extremely rare sighting left hundreds of Marbella beachgoers in shock
Beachgoers in the Malaga resort of Marbella were left completely speechless over the weekend after a giant shark was spotted cruising just off the shoreline, creating a viral moment that has lit up social media.
The enormous creature, identified a little later as a basking shark, was filmed gliding calmly through the clear waters near the popular Spanish resort. The video, posted by Aqua Time Marbella, a local water sports club, gave viewers an unusually close look at one of the ocean's largest fish.
"Never in our 35-year history have we seen anything like it," one member of the club wrote on Instagram, where the video was first shared.
At first, only the shark's dorsal fin could be seen slicing through the surface of the sea, leading to more than a little panic. But as it swam closer to the camera, its immense size became unmistakable. The footage shows the shark drifting silently through the water, its enormous body casting a long shadow beneath the surface.
Despite its size and somewhat intimidating appearance, the basking shark poses no danger to people.
These gentle giants can grow up to 12 metres long, making them the second largest shark species in the world after the whale shark. However, they feed exclusively on plankton and small fish and are not aggressive toward humans.
Basking sharks are native to European waters and are occasionally seen around the UK and Spanish coasts, but sightings like this one are rare, especially at such close range.
This isn't the only recent encounter between humans and these massive fish in Spain. Just last month, fishermen off the coast of Catalonia had an unexpected run-in with a 22-foot basking shark. The incident occurred near Port de la Selva, northeast of Barcelona, when the shark became entangled in their nets.
Realising the scale of what they had caught, the crew contacted CRAM, the local marine life rescue foundation. Unfortunately, by the time the shark was brought to shore, it had already died. A video shared on X showed the enormous fish being hauled onto dry land, with what appeared to be a net wrapped around its tail fins.
While these encounters are becoming more visible thanks to social media, they remain exceptional. Curious about where in Spain you’re most likely to come face to face with Jaws? Find out here.
Also of interest: The only Spanish beach to make the 2025 World's Best list
Image: Archive
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