It was the catch of the day that made the amazed beachgoers turn their heads twice.
A calm fisherman calmly put his hands in the mouth of an eight-foot shark, dragging it ashore in the Los Angeles area, and then pulled the toothy predator back into the Pacific Ocean as shocked onlookers watched the savage scene unfold.
The terrifying encounter took place at Sunset Point Beach, where an unnamed fisherman caught what witnesses believe was a young shark, possibly a great white, about 8 feet long.
The beach rescue operation also echoes another viral moment that occurred earlier this year.
The video shows the exhausted shark struggling in the sand as a crowd gathers around.
Instead of panicking, the fisherman methodically loosened the hook, at one point shoving it right into the shark's mouth, before hauling the animal back into the surf.
According to eyewitnesses, "the shark swam away into Santa Monica Bay and was never seen again," suggesting the young killer survived the encounter.
Instead of panicking, the fisherman methodically released the hook.
The disturbing scene is the latest in a string of shark encounters along the Southern California coast, where experts say there have been unusually large numbers of young great white sharks this summer.
«"We're expecting a very busy summer for sharks," Dr. Chris Lowe, director of the shark research lab at California State University, Long Beach, told The Los Angeles Times.
Lowe attributed the surge in sightings of juvenile great white sharks to unusually warm waters affected by El Niño, which create ideal breeding habitat near shore.
Young sharks can feast on rays and other prey while remaining out of reach of larger predators.
The beach rescue operation also echoes another viral moment that occurred earlier this year.
Despite the unexpected occurrences, marine scientists emphasize that there is little cause for panic.
In April, 20-year-old fisherman Kevin Phan caught a young great white shark off nearby Hermosa Beach, then stripped down to his underwear and carried the shark back into the ocean.
The unusual rescue operation received widespread praise online, with many praising the young fisherman for giving the shark another chance at survival.
Young sharks may feast on rays and other prey.
The sighting reports did not end there.
Drone footage was recently captured of a juvenile great white shark jumping out of the water behind a man boogie boarding in Newport Beach.
Another aerial video showed a shark swimming near unsuspecting children swimming in the water.
Despite the unexpected occurrences, marine scientists emphasize that there is little cause for panic.
Sharks do not show aggression or malice towards people and do not hunt people for food.
Bites remain rare and usually occur when a curious shark mistakes a swimmer for a seal.
With Southern California now serving as a seasonal breeding ground for juvenile great white sharks, experts say beachgoers should expect an increase in such incidents, even if the likelihood of an actual attack remains extremely low.