It was meant to be a peaceful Sunday afternoon for a 55-year-old woman, a swimmer who had long loved the open waters off Lovers Point in Pacific Grove. Like many in her weekly swim club, she looked forward to the brisk Monterey Bay waters. But what was meant to be a peaceful swim soon turned into a nightmare.

Around midday on December 21, 2025, a large splash erupted in the water unexpectedly. Soon, this caught the attention of her fellow swimmers and beachgoers alike, who rushed back to the shore. “They immediately called all the swimmers in and there was one swimmer who hasn’t reported back yet.”

But minutes later, they realized a woman from the club had not returned, and that sparked immediate alarm. “She’s a 55-year-old woman, blonde, with blue eyes, who is currently missing,” said Commander Brian Anderson of the Pacific Grove Police Department.

Without wasting much time, authorities launched a multi-agency search with the U.S. Coast Guard and the Monterey Fire Department as they knew the area was prone to shark attacks.

“The person who reported the shark sighting claimed they saw a shark breach the water with what appeared to be a human body in its mouth,” an official said. “They then witnessed the shark submerge below the waterline without resurfacing.”

Rescue crews have been combing the area tirelessly, using boats, drones, and helicopters, scanning both the water and the surrounding shoreline. If she is not found before dark, authorities plan to resume search efforts first thing in the morning. But for now, as a precaution, Lovers Point and nearby beaches will remain closed through Tuesday. But this isn’t the first time Lovers Point in Pacific Grove has been the site of a shark encounter.

Shark attacks that have shaken Lovers Point

Back in 2022, a local paddleboarder was enjoying the waters with his German shepherd about 150 yards from the Lovers Point Pier. Suddenly, a shark swam beneath the board, turned, and bit it. The force threw both the man and his dog into the water, though neither suffered serious injuries. After the shock, they climbed back onto the board and paddled safely back to shore.

Even earlier, on June 22, 2022, another more serious incident occurred off Lovers Point. Swimmer Steve Bruemmer, a local in his early 60s, was attacked roughly 150 yards from shore. It was later confirmed to be a great white shark. Bruemmer sustained life-threatening injuries, including a deep wound in his stomach and leg, torn quadriceps to the bone, and a broken femur.

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Some paddleboarders and surfers who were nearby helped bring him back to shore, where other people joined in to provide first aid before emergency personnel arrived, and the man was taken to Natividad Medical Center in Salinas. As one rescuer said, “I was very nervous because I was at one point off my paddleboard and I was swimming and kicking because the surfer was pulling him and I was pushing from behind.”

While his injuries were life-threatening, physicians said he was likely to make a complete recovery and that no major arteries or organs were severed.  This year, shark activity has continued to be reported across the U.S., though none have been fatal.

According to TrackingSharks, there have been 22 shark bite incidents as of 16th of December 2025, spanning states including Florida, Hawaii, California, Texas, North Carolina, New York, and South Carolina. Along California’s coast, including the waters near Lovers Point, the ocean remains unpredictable, and swimmers must stay alert even in familiar places.