A great white shark struck a seal just feet from the shoreline of Nantucket, Massachusetts, on Monday, September 21, 2026, at approximately 17:20 UTC. The encounter was captured on video by a local resident, providing a clear record of the brief but dramatic event.
The video shows the seal swimming close to the shore when the shark, identified as a great white, lunged and made contact. The seal is seen attempting to evade the predator before the shark retreats back toward deeper water. The footage, obtained by the Nantucket resident who was on the beach at the time, has been shared with local media outlets.
Nantucket is recognized as a frequent habitat for great white sharks, and sightings of the species are common along the New England coastline. Over recent years, occasional attacks on marine mammals, including seals, have been reported in the region. These incidents reflect the natural predatory behavior of great whites, which are known to patrol the offshore waters where seal colonies are present.
The recent attack adds to the documented pattern of shark activity along the Atlantic seaboard of the United States. While such events are relatively rare for humans, they serve as reminders of the presence of apex predators in coastal ecosystems. Researchers and wildlife officials routinely monitor shark movements in the area, noting that the species' range includes the waters surrounding Nantucket.
The video of the seal‑shark encounter has been circulated among local observers and marine‑life groups, offering a vivid illustration of the dynamic interactions that occur off the New England coast. No injuries to humans were reported in connection with this incident, and the seal was not recovered after the attack.