Great white shark sighting briefly closes Huntington City Beach

Huntington City Beach was closed to swimmers and surfers for about 15 minutes Friday morning after safety officials reported a great white shark off the coast.

At about 10:50 a.m., an Anaheim Police Department helicopter crew saw what was believed to be a 10- to 12-foot great white near Beach Boulevard and Pacific Coast Highway, said Huntington Beach city lifeguard Lt. Claude Panis.

Officials evacuated the water on the south side of the Huntington Beach Pier as lifeguards made contact with the shark, which was determined to be a 7-foot juvenile, Panis said.

Because the shark was smaller than originally reported, lifeguards reopened the water but posted signs on the beach between Beach Boulevard and Goldenwest Street warning beachgoers of the sighting. The signs will remain there until Saturday morning, Panis said.