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Great White Drags Lifeguard, Sparks Maine Beach Closures

8/12/2026

Summary

Lifeguard Confronts Shark

Greg Wilfert, 71-year-old lifeguard at Scarborough Beach, Maine, was pulled about six feet underwater by a great white shark on August 8, 2026.
He slipped off his rescue torpedo strap, swam to shore, warned swimmers, and closed the beach for an hour, maintaining a red-yellow alert.
Officials reported nearly a dozen great white sharks near Scarborough beaches the week before, prompting lifeguards to patrol with jet skis and drones every half hour.

Summary

Maine Officials Close

Maine Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry ordered Mile Beach, Half Mile Beach and East Beach at Reid State Park closed to swimming on Monday because of shark sightings.
State officials called the closures precautionary while monitoring shark activity and issuing real-time advisories through local public-safety teams.
OCEARCH, partnered with Jacksonville University, continues tagging great-white sharks and sharing movement data to improve understanding of juvenile migration along New England’s coast.

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Lifeguard Confronts Shark

Greg Wilfert, 71-year-old lifeguard at Scarborough Beach, Maine, was pulled about six feet underwater by a great white shark on August 8, 2026.
He slipped off his rescue torpedo strap, swam to shore, warned swimmers, and closed the beach for an hour, maintaining a red-yellow alert.
Officials reported nearly a dozen great white sharks near Scarborough beaches the week before, prompting lifeguards to patrol with jet skis and drones every half hour.

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