Officials continued to search for a missing swimmer on Monday, Dec. 22, following a reported shark sighting over the weekend in Northern California that closed beaches.
About noon on Sunday, Dec. 21, the Pacific Grove Police Department and Monterey Fire Department responded to a report of a missing swimmer off Lovers Point, according to a joint Statement from the City of Pacific Grove, City of Monterey and U.S. Coast Guard.
"Two witnesses indicated the swimmer may have encountered a shark while swimming offshore near Lovers Point," the release reads.
Lovers Point is in Pacific Grove, a coastal city near Monterey about 115 miles south of San Francisco.
Emergency response teams then began conducting a search and rescue mission with support from the United States Coast Guard, Monterey County Sheriff's Office, and California State Parks, but by 8 p.m. local time, the swimmer was still not sighted.
Rescuers conducted search efforts but reported they found no sign of the swimmer and planned to continue the search on Monday, Dec. 22.
The family of the swimmer "has been notified of the situation," the release continues.
Officials have not released the name of the missing swimmer.
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'A human body in its mouth'
According to KSBW-TV, Pacific Grove police Commander Brian Anderson said the missing swimmer is a 55-year-old woman with blue eyes and blonde hair and was swimming "with a regular group that meets in the area every Sunday."
The group entered the water as usual and a witness on the shoreline reported seeing a "large splash" when the woman disappeared, police told the outlet, which caused the other swimmers to return to shore "out of concern it may have been a shark attack. Everyone in the group returned safely except the missing swimmer."
U.S. Coast Guard Officer Christopher Sappey reported that one witness described seeing a frightening encounter between a person in the water and a shark.
"The person who reported the shark sighting claimed they saw a shark breach the water with what appeared to be a human body in its mouth," Sappeytold SF Gate. "They then witnessed the shark submerge below the waterline without resurfacing."
Officials could not confirm if the missing woman and the reported shark sighting are related.
Lovers Point Beach and nearby swimming spots closed
Lovers Point Beach, as well as McAbee and San Carlos Beaches in Monterey, will remain closed as a precautionary measure through Tuesday, Dec. 23,officials with both citiesannounced.
A beach advisory, a notice posted onsocial media reads, will remain in place for the following locations:
Asilomar State Beach
Monterey Municipal Beach
Del Monte Beach
Monterey State Beach
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Shark attacks in California so far this year
As of Monday, Dec. 22, there had been three shark attacks on a person reported in California this year.
None resulted in a fatality, according to reports.
According todata from theInternational Shark Attack File, run by theFlorida Museum of Natural History, the world averages65 documented shark attackseach year.
Last year, 47 people were bitten in unprovoked attacks.
Natalie Neysa Alund is a senior reporter for USA TODAY. Reach her at nalund@usatoday.com and follow her on X @nataliealund.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:Swimmer missing after shark spotted in California, beaches closed
