Drone Footage Shows Swimmers Narrowly Escaping Sharks in Alabama Beach

A teenager in Alabama recorded aerial footage this week, showing a shark navigating through the crystal-clear, shallow waters and nearing oblivious swimmers at Orange Beach. The incident was reported by the news agency, Storyful.

The video reveals a swimmer walking directly past a shark, seemingly unaware of its proximity.

Fifteen-year-old Jackson Silvio captured the close encounter using a drone. Fortunately, there were no reported injuries.

Approximately 20 to 30 different species of sharks inhabit the shallow waters along the Alabama Gulf. Despite their presence, they are nearly always harmless, according to Dr. Sean Powers, a marine scientist at the University of South Alabama. Speaking to the Gulf Shores and Orange Beach tourism page last year, Powers explained, "Most of those are really small and only pose an aggravation to fishermen."

Scientists are optimistic that shark populations in the Atlantic Ocean are showing signs of recovery. However, the World Wildlife Fund still lists sharks as a vulnerable species.