Hundreds of sharks washed up on Orange Beach

Orange Beach, Alabama (WKRGMore) — Rick Johnson was sunbathing on the beach with his family when he suddenly looked up at something no one wanted to see while hanging out on the beach.

A giant shark washed up on Orange Beach.

“I looked up and saw a fin,” Johnson said. “I stood up and realized the shark was upside down in the waves.”

Johnson and another man waited for it to get a little closer before dragging it onto the sand.

“Once we got in maybe 30 yards, we used the power of the water to pull it up to the beach and call the coastal resources from there,” Johnson said.

Coastal resources arrived about 30 to 40 minutes later and took the shark to the lab for some tests to determine cause of death and breeding.

For many at the beach on Thursday, they leave behind stories they’ll never forget.

“I haven’t seen it before and I think it’s really cool,” a group of children told WKRG News 5.

“We’ve been coming here for years, but this is definitely the first time, so it will be a great memory,” Johnson said.