Hapuna, Kahaluu beach parks closed after shark sightings

A pair of shark sightings Saturday morning forced the closure of Kahaluu and Hapuna beaches. (Tom Linder/West Hawaii Today)
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A pair of shark sightings has forced the closure of two popular beach parks in West Hawaii.

Lifeguards first reported seeing an estimated seven to eight-foot reef shark within North Kona’s Kahaluu Bay minutes after 9 a.m. Saturday morning. A second sighting occurred less than an hour later at Hapuna Beach State Park forcing the closure of the South Kohala bay, as well.

Kahaluu Bay has since been reopened. A pair of flyovers were conducted following the sighting. The second flyover took place at approximately 2 p.m. and confirmed the shark had left the area surrounding Kahaluu Bay, allowing for swimmers to return to the water.