Maine lifeguard says shark dragged him 5 feet underwater as officials warn of increased sightings

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Updated on: August 11, 2026 / 12:42 PM EDT

/ CBS News

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A lifeguard in Maine said he "started swimming like hell" when a shark grabbed onto his buoy and pulled him underwater off the coast of Scarborough Beach on Saturday.Greg Wilfert said he initially thought he was caught in the propeller of a boat."'Cause that's the only thing I could think of until I realized there was no boat," he said.Wilfert said he was pulled about 5 feet underwater before he was able to get free and emerge on shore unharmed."It was frightening," he said. "I'm not going to deny that."More shark sightingsOfficials along the East Coast say there are more sharks closer to shore in areas where they don't usually go.Since last week, at least a dozen sharks have been spotted close to popular beaches in the area of Wilfert's encounter, according to Scarborough's marine resources officer Daryen Granata.