Sharks sighted at Pāuanui Beach, Coromandel: Swimmers ordered out of water

Pāuanui Beach is closed this afternoon and swimmers ordered out of the water after up to three sharks were sighted.

Surf lifesavers requested everyone - estimated to be nearly 500 people - to stay on shore at 1pm. The beach was still closed at 3.30pm.

The beach was reopened several hours later.

A lifeguard said a shark had been spotted by those patrolling the popular Coromandel beach.

A surf lifesaving spokeswoman, Mackenzie Koppel, said as many as three sharks had been spotted in water near where people were swimming at the beach.

None were believed to be particularly large, she said.

However, because of Thursday's fatal attack at Waihī Beach, there was a heightened sensitivity among beachgoers around sharks.

She said it wasn't uncommon for this level of shark activity off our coastline at this time of year.

"In New Zealand, sharks are in our water but because of the tragic incident in Waihī people are understandably a little bit on edge."

It comes less than two days after Kaelah Marlow died after being attacked by a shark at Waihī Beach.

The 19-year-old Hamilton woman was pulled from the water alive, but succumbed to her injuries on the shore.

Pāuanui is about 73km north of Waihī.

A lifesaver said the swimmers would be allowed back in the water only after 30 minutes had passed since the last confirmed sighting.