Middletown police and beach officials evacuated swimmers from Third Beach on Wednesday following an unconfirmed shark sighting approximately 70 yards offshore.
A camp counselor reported seeing a fin in the water around 1 p.m., prompting immediate safety protocols. About 60 beachgoers were on the town-owned portion of the beach at the time.
Lifeguards, police and the town harbormaster investigated the report but found no evidence of a shark or fin during their search of the waters.
“From what we’re seeing and hearing, this is an unconfirmed sighting and there was no immediate threat to any swimmer, but we wanted to make sure we took every precaution,” said Will Cronin, who oversees beach operations for Middletown.
Swimming has resumed at the beach, though officials are informing visitors about the incident as they enter the water.
The harbormaster continues patrolling the area while lifeguards and police maintain monitoring efforts, according to town officials.
Middletown plans to post any updates on its website at MiddletownRI.gov and official social media channels.
