Shark spotted at Mt Maunganui

A young boy was pulled out of the water by his parents after a dangerous shark was spotted cruising just metres away from him at Bay of Plenty beach.

Ollie and Nikki King, who were in Mount Maunganui on holiday from Taranaki, said they were on the beach one evening this week and about to set a long-line when they were alerted to the shark by two kayakers, the Bay of Plenty Times reported.

Mr King said the kayakers had spotted the shark and had got out the water but their son, Reuben, 11, was playing on his boogie board in the waist-deep surf.

"We obviously had our head down setting the long-line and looked up and saw the shark," Mr King said.

He said they did panic a bit as the shark was only about 10 metres from Reuben and so they ran into the water to get him out.

Mr King said initially he thought it was a generally harmless thresher shark but closer inspection showed it to be the more dangerous bronze whaler, about two metres long, which has been known to attack people.

Surf Lifesaving Bay of Plenty chief executive Sarah Lucas said recent calm sea conditions had led to more shark sightings.

"Flat seas and glassy conditions allow easier sightings," she said.

She added that did not necessarily mean there were more sharks but that they were more easily seen.

She said bronzies were common along the Bay of Plenty coast especially around the Ohope and Whakatane areas.

- NZPA