• iconNews
  • videos
  • entertainment
  • Home
  • News
    • UK News
    • US News
    • Australia
    • Ireland
    • World News
    • Weird News
    • Viral News
    • Sport
    • Technology
    • Science
    • True Crime
    • Travel
  • Entertainment
    • Celebrity
    • TV & Film
    • Netflix
    • Music
    • Gaming
    • TikTok
  • LAD Originals
    • Say Maaate to a Mate
    • Daily Ladness
    • Lad Files
    • UOKM8?
    • FreeToBe
    • Extinct
    • Citizen Reef
  • Advertise
  • Terms
  • Privacy & Cookies
  • LADbible Group
  • UNILAD
  • SPORTbible
  • GAMINGbible
  • Tyla
  • UNILAD Tech
  • FOODbible
  • License Our Content
  • About Us & Contact
  • Jobs
  • Latest
  • Topics A-Z
  • Authors
Facebook
Instagram
X
Threads
Snapchat
TikTok
YouTube

LAD Entertainment

YouTube

LAD Stories

Submit Your Content
Dad saves bathers' lives after spotting huge shark swimming near beach

Home> News

Published 11:27 29 Jan 2023 GMT

Dad saves bathers' lives after spotting huge shark swimming near beach

A quick-thinking Australian father managed to alert swimmers at the beach to the presence of a large shark headed towards them

Harley Young

Harley Young

A fast-thinking father managed to alert an entire beach and those bathing in the sea to the presence of a large shark headed towards them, all thanks to his trusty drone. Watch the nail-biting clip below:

Wildlife photographer and videographer, David Alphonso was busy filming the wildlife on Meelup Beach in Western Australia when he noticed a shadow of a large creature in the water.

Recognising the eerie shape and realising that lives could be at stake, Alphonso then jumped into action, Facetiming his wife Kirsty who was at the beach at the time with their two-year-old child, Sonny.

Advert

Incredibly, Alphonso was then able to use his drone to guide lifeguards to the shark via their jet skis.

David Alphonso posing with probiscus monkeys.
@fonzyfotos/Instagram

The beachfront was evacuated as a safety precaution until a helicopter arrived and assessed the scene.

The whole event could have been far more disastrous if it hadn't been for Alphonso's quick thinking.

Speaking to The Sun, he said: "Good job I had my drone up there. There must have been up to 1,000s of people on the beach."

Advert

Alphonso said the sharks, likely to be either great whites or bronze whalers, were just a mere 10ft away from swimmers.

He continued: "I saw these sharks — possibly great white or bronze whaler — just 10ft or so from swimmers and 6ft from shore. The outline was unmistakable."

The shark was later confirmed as a bronze whaler shark; a lesser-known relative of the great white.

Just one of the many sharks David Alphonso has photographed with his drone.
@fonzyfotos/Instagram

Alphonso is a big nature lover who free-dives and uses his drone to help him capture the beauty that is Australia's wildlife. His Instagram page, @fonzyfotos, is adorned with beautiful wildlife imagery and scenery shots he's taken over the years, including photographs of baby turtles, whales, sting rays and even Australian natives like wombats.

Advert

However, he understands that the occurrence could have been frightening for those at the beach that day and says he hopes the experience wouldn’t scare people from embracing the great outdoors in Australia.

He added: "They think shark escapes are something that happens every day now.

"Fair to say this would never happen in Northampton."

Featured Image Credit: FONZYFOTOS/Instagram

Topics: Australia

Harley Young
Harley Young

Freelance Journalist for LADbible Group

X

@Harley__Young

Advert

Advert

Advert

Choose your content:

7 hours ago
9 hours ago
10 hours ago
  • 7 hours ago

    Jurors reach partial verdict in Sean 'Diddy' Combs sex-trafficking trial

    The jury reached a partial verdict after more than 12 hours of deliberations, following weeks of disturbing testimony.

    News
  • 9 hours ago

    Archaeologists make 90 metre long Ancient Roman discovery buried on the ocean floor

    Divers excavated something in Italy that could reveal Roman-era secrets

    News
  • 10 hours ago

    'Worst shark attack ever' saw desperate crew feed dead to sharks as they circled in bloodbath

    If you've seen Jaws, then you'll know about this

    News
  • 10 hours ago

    'Infuriated' swingers speak out on the impact Diddy's 'freak-off' parties had on community

    Sean 'Diddy' Combs' lawyers caused an outcry in the swinging community

    News
  • Leg of surfer found washed up on beach after he managed to survive great white shark attack
  • Insane moment a huge great white shark attacks a fishing boat in rare footage
  • Dad has called for change in law after 10 guests tragically killed at son's wedding
  • Dad of teen who died after ‘methanol poisoning’ from drinks on holiday releases heartbreaking tribute