‘Pretty sick’: Horror as fourth great white shark washes up on Adelaide beach

Authorities are investigating a mysterious spate of great white sharks that have washed up on the shores of popular beaches in one Australian state.

Another great white shark has washed up on a popular South Australian beach, the fourth shark to appear on the shore in the span of a few weeks.

Beachgoers saw the shark in distress in the shallows of Henley Beach in Adelaide and tried to keep the animal alive by jumping into the water.

Another great white shark has washed up on an Adelaide beach. Picture Casey Treloar/7News

It is the fourth great white shark to wash up on the shores in a matter of weeks. Picture Casey Treloar/7News

In an online statement, Shark Watch SA said “the shark was safely moved into deeper water, briefly swimming away on its last strides of strength before being carried to the shoreline by the waves into its final resting position”.

The shark was then “carried off by PIRSA Fisheries officers”, the statement read.

Witness Antonio Rositano told 9News the shark was “struggling” as it tried to hold on for life on the sand.

“It was rolling around, its belly was up, it looked like it was pretty sick,” he said.

Despite best efforts form the public, the shark died on the beach.

The death comes weeks after other sharks were found washed up on the shores of Ardrossan, Aldinga and Port Willunga beaches in South Australia.

The Department of Primary Industries and Regions (PIRSA) will investigate the cause of the sharks’ deaths.

Locals tried to save the animal but it died on the sand. Picture Casey Treloar/7News

In mid-March, beachgoers were warned to stay out of the water in some South Australian beaches, as a toxic algae bloom left hundreds of surfers feeling sick and killed scores of sea life, including octopuses, fish and seahorses.

The state’s Environment Protection Authority (EPA) said at the time the algae bloom was likely “due to a microalgal bloom that has been driven by hot temperatures and still water and an ongoing marine heatwave, with temperatures currently 2.5C warmer than usual, with little wind and small swell contributing to conditions”.

The EPA and PIRSA have been contacted for comment.

Originally published as ‘Pretty sick’: Horror as fourth great white shark washes up on Adelaide beach