Shark Crashes Coast Guard Swim Call -- Gunner Opens Fire to Save Crew in the Pacific

A 6-to-8-foot shark turned a relaxing mid-ocean swim into a real-life Jaws scene for dozens of Coast Guard sailors, forcing an armed watchman to open fire and drive the predator away.

On Aug. 21, 2020, the crew of the Honolulu-based Coast Guard Cutter Kimball had wrapped up operations somewhere in Oceania, far from any land or other vessels. After weeks of monotony at sea, about 30 to 40 sailors jumped into the calm Pacific waters for a planned swim call. They brought safety gear, a rescue swimmer, a small boat - and even a giant inflatable unicorn.

Bridge lookouts then radioed the dreaded alert: "Shark!"

The uninvited guest, estimated at 6 to 8 feet long and believed to be a longfin mako or pelagic thresher, surfaced near the ship's rescue door and swam straight toward the group, closing to about 30 feet.

Maritime Enforcement Specialist 1st Class Samuel Cintron, standing armed shark watch on the flight deck, immediately locked on. On orders from his chief, he fired well-aimed bursts into the water just above the shark to protect his shipmates.

The Coast Guard Cutter Kimball Shark Incident

The animal turned away briefly after each volley but kept circling back. Cintron continued firing with precision until every sailor scrambled clear - some up the Jacob's ladder, others into the open stern notch or the waiting small boat.

"Everyone is safe ... We even saved the inflatable unicorn!" the Kimball crew later posted on Facebook, calling the encounter "one of the most amazing events many of us have ever experienced at sea" and "right out of a Hollywood movie."

The only injury was a minor knee scrape suffered by one sailor while climbing back aboard - located, ironically, in the middle of his shark-teeth tattoo. The shark itself appeared unharmed and later swam off with a few smaller companions. Crew members said their goal was simply to keep it away, noting the animal was likely curious rather than hunting.

"We don't think the shark was injured," the post added. "It was most likely curious and not looking for a meal."

The Kimball, a 418-foot Legend-class national security cutter commissioned in 2019, was on patrol conducting national security and other missions at the time. The video of the tense encounter, shared by the crew, quickly spread online, with sailors requesting a night of Jaws and Sharknado viewing to celebrate their close call.