Abu Dhabi beach closed to swimmers after whale shark sighting

An Abu Dhabi beach has been closed to swimmers after a whale shark was sighted in the capital's waters.

Al Bahar beach, based in the city's Corniche, will be a no-go area for swimmers until Friday, management at the leisure spot announced.

The move follows an announcement by the Environment Agency - Abu Dhabi (EAD) that an endangered whale shark had been spotted in the Kasr Al Amwaj area of the emirate.

"A whale shark has been spotted by Environment Agency - Abu Dhabi in the Kasr Al Amwaj area," said a statement on the Al Bahar Abu Dhabi Facebook page.

"While they’re quite safe creatures, the EAD still sent out a beach warning to steer clear of the waters for health and safety reasons.

"The beach will re-open for swimming this Friday."

Whale sharks can weigh more than 20 tons and grow to more than 30ft in length.

The EAD said that the sea creature is not harmful and that members of the species can be often found in the marinas and waterways of Abu Dhabi.

They urged members of the public who encounter the whale shark to alert them and called on boat drivers to keep their distance.

The National