Lanzarote Divers Delighted After Rare Shark Sighting Off the Island
A fascinating shark encounter has given a group of divers off Lanzarote something very special to talk about, after they spotted a shark moving through Atlantic waters.
The sighting was reported close to Puerto del Carmen on September 28, 2026, after a local diving group shared images and video of the animal. The shark was believed to be, by the diving company as a silky shark, Carcharhinus falciformis. The sighting has attracted attention because encounters with this species are unusual for recreational divers and are a reminder of just how much marine life can be found around the Canary Islands.
The divers were able to observe the shark in its natural environment and described the encounter positively, with the animal simply continuing on its way.
What kind of shark was it?
The animal appears to be a silky shark, although identification from underwater footage is not always certain. Silky sharks are sleek, fast-moving sharks with a grey, grey-brown or bronze-coloured back and a pale underside. They have a relatively long rounded snout, long pectoral fins and a distinctive ridge between their dorsal fins.
The scientific name for the species is Carcharhinus falciformis. It is a warm-water shark found in tropical and subtropical oceans around the world. Silky sharks can live in open ocean waters but are also associated with continental and island shelves, reefs and areas where fish are plentiful.
They are predators of fish and other marine animals, their presence in the wider Canary Islands marine environment is therefore not, in itself, a cause for alarm.
Are silky sharks dangerous to swimmers?
This is probably the question most people will ask after seeing photographs of a shark close to Lanzarote.
The reassuring answer is that shark encounters involving people in the Canary Islands are exceptionally uncommon. The International Shark Attack File currently lists just three confirmed unprovoked attacks worldwide involving silky sharks, with no fatalities in that category. That does not mean a silky shark can never bite a person, but it does put the risk into perspective.
There has also been a very unusual silky shark incident in the Canary Islands. In December 2015, a swimmer off Arinaga in Gran Canaria was bitten on the arm by a shark identified as a silky shark. Contemporary reports described the incident as highly unusual, and experts suggested that the shark may have mistaken the swimmer's arm for prey. The swimmer recovered and continued to speak positively about being in the sea.
Why are sharks seen around Lanzarote?
Lanzarote sits in the Atlantic Ocean in a location surrounded by productive marine waters. The Canary Islands are home to a remarkable variety of marine species, including several species of shark and ray.
For divers, this is part of what makes scuba diving in Lanzarote so interesting. The volcanic underwater landscape, drop-offs, reefs, caves, wrecks and strong marine biodiversity create habitats for everything from small reef fish and octopus to rays and larger pelagic species.
Silky sharks are highly mobile animals and can travel considerable distances. They are also attracted to areas where fish congregate.
A shark sighting
It is worth remembering that a shark swimming through the ocean is behaving normally. Sharks are an important part of marine ecosystems and sightings can actually be a sign of the richness of the surrounding waters.
The shark seen by the divers did not approach a beach, chase swimmers or display behaviour suggesting an interaction with people. It was simply observed underwater by people who were already in its environment.
A special moment for Lanzarote divers
For the divers who encountered the shark, the reaction was one of excitement rather than fear. Close encounters with large marine animals are among the memorable moments that keep people returning to Lanzarote for scuba diving.
It is also a useful reminder that there is a whole underwater world around the island that many visitors never get to see. The Atlantic surrounding Lanzarote is home to an impressive range of wildlife, and occasional shark sightings are part of that natural environment.
Rather than being a reason to worry, this latest shark sighting off Lanzarote is a fascinating glimpse into the marine life living around the island.
For tourists considering a diving trip to Lanzarote, it is another reminder that the island offers much more beneath the surface than its famous volcanic landscapes and beaches.
