Lone shark off Belgian coast

(CS) A basking shark is roaming the waters off the Belgian coast, press agency Belga has reported.

The animal is said to measure around three metres and was first seen on Friday, October 21. A plane from the royal institute of natural sciences spotted the shark 40km off the coast.

There is no information at this point on how the basking shark ended up in the North Sea, but it certainly is an unlikely visitor to these parts.

Basking sharks are the second biggest species of marine animals, with only whale sharks surpassing them. Basking sharks can measure from six to nine metres.

Unlike their toothy brethren, basking sharks feed solely on plancton.

This is the second unusual visit of a finned creature, after a humpback whale was spotted 25km off the coast at Zeebrugge earlier this month, the first ever to be recorded in Belgian coastal waters.