A huge great white shark has shocked locals after it was spotted in the water at a popular beach before washing up.
The distressed shark was spotted off the coast of Kingscliff Beach, just south of the NSW-Queensland border, around 6am on Monday.
Dozens of locals flocked to the shoreline to watch the four-metre-long shark struggle in the water as the swell slowly pushed it closer to dry land.
Some locals said the animal looked “sick” and was euthanized on the spot removed from the beach in the bucket of a skid steer.
A four-metre white shark has shocked locals after washing up at a popular surfing spot, Kingscliff Beach, in northern NSW on Monday morning (pictured)
One of the response teams sent to the scene was from Sea World after Gold Park theme park was notified of the shark’s condition.
“Unfortunately, the shark was in poor condition after beaching and the Sea World veterinary team administered medication to make the shark comfortable before it passed away,” a Sea World spokesperson told Daily Mail Australia.
‘It appeared the shark had underlying health problems as the striking behavior in the shallow water prior to beaching was not typical of the species.
‘Although there were no unusual marks on the shark, the NSW Department of Fisheries will carry out a necropsy to try to determine a cause for the stranding.’
Sea World shark bay supervisor Siobhan Houlihan said the shark’s lack of injuries meant there was “something sinister” going on that was affecting it from the inside.
“She may be sick or may have taken something she shouldn’t,” Ms Houlihan told the newspaper ABC.
NSW Agriculture Minister Tara Moriarty said the state government will seek to “establish the cause of death”.
Ms Moriarty also urged beachgoers to be ‘Sharksmart’ and keep track of shark activity using the app of the same name.
Lifeguards kept an eye on the great white shark after it was spotted struggling in the water.
“We were notified this morning of a sick shark swimming close to shore,” Northern NSW Lifeguard coordinator Scott McCartney said.
The adult female shark was spotted just before struggling with the incoming waves and appeared ‘sick’ before beaching
It was euthanized on site by veterinarians before being removed by a skid steer (pictured) to be transported to be examined by the NSW Department of Primary Industries
Although the huge sharks can be seen in deeper waters, seeing a sick and washed-up shark was “definitely a first” for Mr McCartney.
It comes just two months after an Italian backpacker filmed himself being attacked by a large shark off the coast of 1770 beach, north of Bundaberg.
The disturbing footage showed 20-year-old Matteo Mariotti diving on the picturesque beach before he was bitten on the leg and blood began to stain the water.
He was pulled to safety by his diving instructor before being rushed to hospital where he underwent surgery and unfortunately had to have his leg amputated.