Holiday-making Brits have been put on alert after a 15ft SHARK was found at a Spanish summer hotspot.
The giant beast was spotted dead in the sea by local sailors.
It was found off the coast of Altea – just three miles from Benidorm.
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The sun-drenched resort is popular with British families and expats.
The deceased shark was found on Saturday (25 May).
The sailors informed the authorities, who towed the terrifying-looking creature to port.
Researchers measured the shark and found it to be a whopping 4.61 m (15 ft 1 in) long.
They also took skin, parasite, and tooth samples to study the little-known species further, as reported on Need To Know.
The deceased specimen has been identified as a bluntnose sixgill shark.
It’s the largest shark that inhabits the seabed of the Mediterranean, at depths of almost 2,000m (6,562ft).
Also known as the cow shark, it has six rows of saw-like teeth on its lower jaw and smaller teeth on its upper jaw.
It feeds exclusively on dead animals.
The International Union for Conservation of Nature categorises it as “near threatened”, meaning it may be vulnerable to endangerment in the near future.
The researchers from the University of Valencia hope their samples will help them better understand deep-sea species.
The Spanish authorities say that anyone who spots a stranded marine animal should call 112.
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