Three Great White Sharks Spotted Off Nantucket Coast

NANTUCKET, MA — Looks like we're breaking back into shark season in Massachusetts before the start of the summer, as three great white sharks were seen off Nantucket Wednesday, eating a dead whale.

According to the Atlantic White Shark Conservancy's Sharktivity app, the three were seen Wednesday near Tuckernuct Island in Nantucket.

The Nantucket Current shared a video of the moment the sharks were spotted:

This sighting comes only a few days after the first official white shark sighting of the season when a shark was seen eating a seal close to shore near Green Point Lighthouse in Nantucket.

As the water predators return with the start of the summer season, the National Park Service offers some safety measures to help keep kids and loved ones safe:

• Stay away from seals as sharks tend to follow
• Stay close to shore
• Don't swim alone
• Avoid areas where schools of fish can be seen
• Limit splashing
• Avoid waters with low visibility
• Follow all flag warnings and signs

But the Atlantic White Shark Conservancy says white shark attacks on people, which are rare, typically happen for one of three reasons:

• Sharks can mistake people for marine mammals, like seals.
• A shark uses its teeth like a dog uses its nose — a bite might occur because a shark was trying to gather information.
• Sharks can be just as afraid of people as people can be of them. Sometimes attacks are defensive because a shark was startled.

The public is also encouraged to report shark sightings, which can be done via the Sharktivity app or by contacting local authorities.

August through October is typically the season for the highest number of shark sightings.