A 55-year-old woman went missing during a weekly swim club session off Lovers Point in Pacific Grove, California, and authorities are investigating the incident as a possible shark attack.
The swimmer—who has not been publicly identified—was reported missing around noon on Sunday, Dec. 21, in the waters roughly 100 yards off Lovers Point, according to the San Francisco Chronicle, SFGATE and CBS News. Two witnesses told authorities the woman may have come into contact with a shark, and the Pacific Grove Police Department said the case is being treated as a possible shark attack, CBS reported.
One witness told police they saw splashing in the water around the time the woman disappeared. Members of the swim group said they returned to shore after someone reported seeing a “large splash,” and then realized one swimmer had not come back.
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Petty Officer Christopher Sappey of the U.S. Coast Guard described a reported sighting from a witness who claimed they saw a shark breach the water with what appeared to be a human body in its mouth, then submerge and not resurface, according to SFGATE. Sappey added that while the sighting was reported in the area, officials could not confirm it was connected to the missing swimmer.
Search and rescue efforts were launched by the Pacific Grove Police Department and Monterey Fire Department, the San Francisco Chronicle reported. The U.S. Coast Guard, Monterey County Sheriff’s Office and California State Parks are also assisting, with resources including boats, drones and a helicopter.
Lovers Point Beach and nearby beaches in Monterey were expected to remain closed through Tuesday, and advisories were issued for several other nearby beaches through Tuesday, officials said, per SFGATE.
